


Hearts Freely Given

by LeafyDream



Series: The Just Universe [2]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Child Abuse, Dork Akira, Drama, Drama & Romance, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love Triangles, Past Child Abuse, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-02-28 08:08:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 33,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13267266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeafyDream/pseuds/LeafyDream
Summary: As Akira is forced to a home that feels more like a prison, Haru, Makoto, and Futaba fall in love, not knowing their hearts yearn for the same man. The four each struggle to find their place in the world they saved, as they wonder just what it means to give someone your heart, and if a heart can truly be shared.A polyamorous story starring Akira, Makoto, Haru, and Futaba.





	1. Makoto

**Makoto**

March was coming to an end. Almost a year ago, Akira Kurusu walked down the streets of Shibuya for the first time in his life. What came after was the most amazing, wonderful, and terrifying experience of his life. He became a criminal, he was treated like a pariah, but he also saved lives and made some truly amazing friends.

Akira closed his eyes as he felt the salty wind brushing against his face. He tried to focus his mind on just a single moment, but it felt impossible. He was firing his gun at giant ogres. He was running down the side of a pyramid. He was held at gunpoint.

He remembered the waking nightmare Mementos had turned into. Cages of bone, and rivers of blood, and the screaming voices. The Holy Grail towered over him, and Yaldabaoth rained hell down on him and his friends. He could feel his muscles tensing as the air tasted hot and dry. It was the worst memory he had of his entire life. Those moments still flashed in his eyes.

He had defeated a god. It had been a moment of victory and triumph, not just for the Phantom Thieves, but for humanity itself. Yet the nightmare still felt fresh in his mind. It made his stomach churn. His stomach tasted bile as he let out a sigh.

_I shouldn't be thinking about this,_ he told himself. He felt the wind brush against his face and he took in the familiar, salty aroma of the sea. He let it blow away his memories, as he looked around to remind himself just where he was.

The group had stopped at a beach for their last night together, and Akira refused to allow some bad dreams take this away from him. No, he was going to savor this night and engrave it within his mind for eternity.  _Tonight's our last night together. Can't spend it in the past._

Akira shook the nightmares from his mind. He was sitting atop a large, smooth rock, the ocean's waves reaching out to him, but never actually getting close. He saw his friends scattered nearby, each invested in their own activities as they enjoyed one another's presence.

Ann and Ryuji were talking to one another as they walked on the shores of the sandy beach, large chunks of wood in the blond boy's hands, laughing at something only they knew. Futaba and Yusuke were bickering with each other, probably something that had to do with the crab that the artist was holding in his hand. Finally, Haru, Morgana, and Makoto were on fish catching duty. The black cat was vehemently cheering the two girls as they pulled out another fish for dinner tonight.

He cherished the sight of his close friends, before pausing in silent thought as his mind traveled to Tokyo. All the friends he had left behind. Iwai, Ohya, Sadayo, Mishima, and so many others all lived in that gorgeous metropolis. He wondered if he would ever see them again.  _Wonder if I'll ever come back..._ He stared out into the horizon, beyond the crashing waves that reflected the setting sun's rays.  _I have to. I'll talk to mom and dad about it. I have to come back._

The sunset was beautiful. A ray of orange light glimmered on the sea as the whole beach was bathed in an amber-coated light. He lifted his hand and marveled at his own shadow, before he reached out to outline the falling sun with his fingers. He squeezed his hand into a fist, 'catching' the sun in his hand, before releasing it back to the world. The gentle waves were a calming symphony as he simply took it all in.

_It's really beautiful... We're lucky. We have the whole place to ourselves._

He closed his eyes, relaxing at the sun's rays against his skin. He felt at peace, only for past memories to prod at his mind.

"No!" Futaba screamed, and Akira's heart raced.

_Futaba was screaming, holding her head as her body vanished before her eyes. She squeezed them shut as she tried to wake up from her nightmare. Akira reached out to her, only to fall as his legs melted away. "No-!" She was gone, nothing left behind as Makoto gasped for air._

_Akira turned his head to find the brunette looking at him, tears in her eyes. "Where... Where did we go wro-?" Her skin was burned to ashes in a black fire. Her ashes popped in the fire, nothing left behind as her voice echoed in his mind._

_Haru was the only one left. She stared with wide, terrified eyes, tears streaming down her face, only to burn away as the fire tore at her body. It wasn't quick. It was slow. Fire turned her skin black and brittle as she crumbled before Akira's eyes._

"Enjoying the view?"

He came crashing back into reality, and he found it hard to breathe. He coughed into his hand, his eyes watering as his skin suddenly felt hot. "W-what?" He turned to the sound of the voice, but his mind already realized who it was. Makoto Niijima was running towards him concern in her eyes.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you!"

"No, no! I'm fine. Just not used to the air," he quickly lied. "I don't get to go to the beach often. It's salty." Akira had learned that the best kinds of lies were the ones related to the truth.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Her question made him smile, and he nodded his head.

Makoto Niijima. Arguably his best friend and truest confidant on the team. His right hand woman. The sun's rays accented her smiling lips, and her crimson eyes shined in the light. She was beautiful. A unique fire that he was honored to know.

"I'm alright, Makoto. Thanks for the concern." She didn't think he was one to lie, and he wasn't. He just didn't want to trouble her with nothing important. Her sobbing face flashed in his eyes, and his smile grew more. "Please, join me.

"Thank you," she replied, sitting beside him.

"So, why did you come over? Everything okay?" he asked. "Or did you just come over to check on your best friend?"

She smiled at the question, and that made his heart slow down. It was nice seeing her smile. After everything she had gone through, he wanted nothing more than to see her happy. He remembered their afternoon on Waikiki Beach. The way the light shined on her, the way she beamed at him, the way she made him feel at peace, sure of himself.

Akira didn't want to admit it, but he wanted that more than ever.

* * *

Makoto brushed a strand of hair from her eyes as she gazed into the horizon of the sun. The sight stole her breath away as her fingers traced against the subtle details of the fishing rod. Akira's hands had held the tool dozens of times over the course of his year in Tokyo, and now it, like the man himself, was leaving. She wanted to hold onto the object for a few moments longer, engrave the feel of it in her mind.

She didn't want to forget a single thing about Akira. She wanted to remember his compassionate smile, his coffee-like scent, his laugh, his grin, his presence...

Her scarlet eyes glided over the gentle waves of the sea, and she found the man sitting by himself atop a large stone. He was admiring the setting sun in quiet contemplation as the breeze gently pushed against him.

"Akira-kun looks so peaceful there, doesn't he?"

Makoto looked at her close friend, Haru Okumura, and she smiled in agreement. "He does."

"I wonder what he's thinking about?" The auburn-haired woman's fingers traced her own fishing rod, her eyes following her careful fingers as she thought aloud.

"He's probably just enjoying the scenery."

"Hm." Makoto could feel a question dancing on Haru's lips, but the girl didn't speak for what felt like a long, drawn out second. Makoto wasn't sure why, she had hoped by now that Haru could trust her. They were practically best friends, weren't they?

_Best friends... There's a funny thought._ How much had life changed in a single year? Once upon a time, Makoto was alone and listless in a life that felt more like an obstacle course than reality. She merely obeyed what those above told her to do, and she acted according to how she was expected to. Her own future was spelled out for her, and there was only one path, one goal, with no room for leeway.

It was only thanks to Akira that she could find herself again. He destroyed the walls that threatened to crush her, and he shined a light down the dark path. He helped her find her own answers and gave her hope that she didn't think was ever available for her. In turn, she gave herself to the young man as his ally and friend. She wanted nothing more than to remain by his side, but fate had other plans..

It was a bittersweet end for Queen of the Phantom Thieves, but she was proud to be the tactician of the team. She was prouder still to be the shoulder Akira had leaned on.

"I'm going to miss him," confessed Haru with a heavy sigh. She pulled her knees closer to her chest as Makoto felt a slight tug on her line.

She pulled at it, reeling the fish towards the two of them as she spoke. "Akira-kun may be leaving, but he will be back before we... know it!" She pulled on the line once more, and the large fish's head popped out out of the ocean for a moment. "But I understand what you mean. It just won't be home without him," she sighed.

"It's wonderful that the two of you are so close to one another," commented Haru with a smile on her lips.

"Close? I-I suppose we are," mumbled the brunette as a shiver went up her spine. Yes, she thought of herself as Akira's ally, a close ally at that, but realizing that others saw their friendship was... embarrassing. Her fingers loosened around the handle for a moment, and the rod almost slipped from her hands. Her eyes widened as she her grip became tight and she reeled the fish closer to them. "Morgana! Haru! The net!"

"Huh? R-right!"

The small cat and Haru quickly did their part, helping to catch the fish Makoto was reeling in. The brunette had read upon on several fishing techniques, and she had even accompanied Akira to his fishing spot during his time in the city. While she wasn't quite as skilled as their leader, she was adept enough to bring the fish out of the water and into the net Haru held under her.

"Phew. Think that'll be enough for dinner?"

Haru nodded her head as Morgana practically jumped up and down in joy. The two girls put the fish inside the cooler they were using to house them, before they began to take apart the fishing rods and return them to Akira's luggage. Morgana was busy with admiring the strong odor of the fish as Haru looked at her Makoto.

"You should talk to him, you know."

"Huh?" Makoto blinked, glancing at Haru.

"You should talk to Akira-kun. You won't have many chances left to," the auburn-haired girl insisted.

"I already said my goodbyes before we left," explained the scarlet-eyed woman, but Haru shook her head.

"Not that. You should just... talk to him." Haru smiled at Makoto, staring into her scarlet eyes. "I think he just wants you by his side."

"How could you know that?" wondered Makoto, a hint of warmth crawling up her neck.

"Call it a feeling," Haru shrugged, before reaching towards Makoto's hand. She took the fishing rod from her and motioned towards the lone man. She smiled widely. "Go. I'll clean up here and start getting the fish ready. It'll be our last dinner together, so I'll make sure to put my all into it!" Her smile seemed to almost gleam in the light of the setting sun. "Come on, Mona-chan!"

Haru didn't say anything else, leaving Makoto to her own devices as the ebony feline watched in confusion. The cat looked at Makoto, and he looked like he was trying to shrug his shoulders. "Maybe Haru's right, Queen. You and Akira are best friends, after all. I'm sure he'd love to talk to you." The cat followed their mutual friend, leaving the ruby-eyed student president to mull over their words.

Makoto's sight fell upon the lone man and she bit her lower lip as a strange worry crawled up her body.  _They act like he and I have some kind of special connection. Obviously we don't, though! Well, we sort of do, I mean, he and I are the leaders of the group, but they almost made it sound like we were... intimate._ Her legs began to move, almost on their own as she took a deep breath.  _Okay. Back straight. Shoulders up. Just talk to him. You've done that plenty of times._

So what made this feel so different? Just because Haru was pushing for her to speak to him? Was there something she knew that Makoto didn't? Was it because she knew this might be the last time they would ever speak? No, that was ridiculous. They would meet again, even if Makoto had to move mountains to make it happen...

Makoto had left her blue coat in the car, leaving her in her black, turtleneck sweater and matching pants. Her boots were by the large towel the group had brought, helping pin the fabric down against the ocean's breeze. Her feet left imprints on the sandy terrain, before she found herself beside the raven-haired man. She brushed some loose strands of hair as she took in the sight of him.

_Calm down. He's just a boy._

She mentally kicked herself for such a blase description of her closest friend. Akira was so much more than a mere 'boy.' He was her best friend! He was the kindest, most compassionate, most level-headed man she had ever known. He was mature, sensible, yet his heart was gentle and compassionate. In many ways, he was how she remembered her father. An unstoppable force for good, with a heart that yearned for justice.

The mere thought sent a shiver to her hand as she swore to herself that Akira would never meet the same end as her father. She wouldn't allow it...

The boy had yet to even notice her presence as he lifted his hand up to block the sun's rays. He was so content. He looked so at peace, and the sun's golden rays made him seem almost like some kind of angel. He was handsome, that was objectively true, but there was something more to him that made Makoto's cheeks burn. Her earlier comment repeated itself, and Makoto once again found fault in it.

_He isn't just some boy. He's a man. Already grown and ready to face the world..._ She was envious, to be honest. To be so sure of himself, to know who he was meant to be...

"Enjoying the view?" she called out to him.

She must have surprised him, because suddenly he was coughing into his hand, gasping for air. "W-what?" He blinked rapidly, looking at Makoto with wide eyes. She ran to his side, worried for him.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you!

"No, no. I'm fine. Just not used to the air," he replied, laughing off the accident. "I don't get to go to the beach often." He waved his hand in the air, as if blowing the ocean's smell away. "It's salty."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm alright, Makoto. Thanks for the concern." He smiled at her, and she relaxed at the sight. He placed his hand on the empty spot beside him. "Please, join me."

"Thank you." She took her place by his side, relief in her voice.

"So why did you come over? Everything okay? Or did you just come over to check on your best friend?" he teased her, showing that spark of Joker in his eyes.

"Just wanted to share the view with you," she answered. "Is that okay?" She found herself blushing, but she passed that off as just the sun's rays.

"The more the merrier," he replied. "It's a gorgeous sight." He was staring at her when she said that, not the setting sun... Makoto told herself that it was just a coincidence.

"You're right," she muttered. He turned his head back to the sun, as she tried to hide her smiling lips. Her ruby eyes were on his face as she mumbled, "The sight's... nice." She lifted a leg to rest on the stone and she hugged it, pulling her knee close to her head as she finally looked at the horizon together.

"Makes me a little nostalgic, honestly." He caught her scarlet eyes glancing at him in confusion and he chuckled. "Don't tell me you've forgotten. Hawaii? It was you and me, staring out into the sea, just like this."

Her eyes widened and a pinkish warmth nipped at her ears. It traveled down to her cheeks as she nodded. "You're completely right. I'm so sorry, that just feels like a lifetime ago. Thinking about all of the things we did after that trip... It's hard to believe any of it happened," she admitted.

"But it did, and I hope we never forget... that I shot a god in the face," he laughed. He made a 'gun' out of his hands and fired at the sun, making the appropriate 'pew!' noise. The two smiled at the triumphant memory, before Akira reached into his pocket. "You know, I still have the keychain you gave me."

"Y-you do?"

As if to answer the question, Akira held up a silver ring of keys and ornaments. The tiki that Makoto gave him smiled at her, resembling a proud, yet honorable, warrior goddess. "Why would I not? My best friend gave it to me, after all."

"I was so worried you wouldn't like it," she muttered, lifting a hand to tap at the wooden trinket. It swung to and fro, still grinning at her. Makoto admired the clear craftsmanship of the trinket, before a question filled her mind. She glanced down at the rock below them, before looking at Akira's grinning face. "Akira, do you really think I'm your best friend?"

"Is that so surprising?"

"I would have thought Ryuji would have that role, considering how long you two have known one another."

"Ryuji is a great friend, and I love him like a brother, but there's always been this disconnect between the two of us. We're just very different people. Nothing wrong with that," he shrugged. He placed the keychain into his pocket, before glancing at her. His silver eyes reflected the sun light well."I guess I just click better with you."

"That's surprising to hear," she commented, as a warmth tickled her neck. She rubbed at it, massaging her skin as she looked away.

"I don't think so. I mean, you and I are practically the Team Mom and Dad," he joked. "We take care of everyone."

The warmth on Makoto's neck intensified at the comment.  _I know he doesn't mean anything by it, but I wish he worded that differently..._ She shook her head from side to side and smiled in understanding. "I suppose you're right. We can sympathize with one another when the others are being particularly rowdy."

"Like when Yusuke tried walking out of the car? While it was in motion?"

"Ugh. Don't remind me," she groaned. Despite her frustrations with the artist, the two smiled at the memory. Makoto never acted like this before Akira entered her life, yet even after it was only around him did she feel most comfortable. It was only Akira who could put her worries at ease, and only he that could make her smile this much.

_What will I do without him?_  she wondered, but she pushed the thought aside. That question was too little, too late now, and besides, he would always just be a call away. She didn't need to worry.

Makoto ignored the prodding worries that plagued her mind, and smiled at her friend. "Are you eager to return home?" Her ruby eyes stared at the raven-haired boy, and she caught the way his lips twitched.

"Hm." Akira's smile turned thin as his silver eyes stared out at the setting sun.

The golden rays that danced on the ocean surface were reflected in his eyes as he finally answered. "It'll be hard going back," he muttered, so quietly that she wondered if she was even meant to hear. "I loved staying in the big city. The lights. The excitement. There was just a rush there. You could get lost in the sea of people." He raised his voice, letting her hear him easier.

Makoto's eyes stared at Akira and she could see the gleam in his eyes. It was more than just the reflection of the sunlight, it was... a passion. A radiance that flashed for only a moment, before fading away. "You really liked it in Tokyo, huh? It's funny, usually people from rural areas don't enjoy the big city."

"I'm not most people." He didn't sound sarcastic or offended. He simply sounded like he was noting a fact. He smiled at her and she returned the gesture.

"No. You're not." There was an undertone of joy to her agreement. Akira had never been like other people, and that's always what made him so easy to talk to. Things just felt natural around him. "Make sure to keep in touch, okay? And I better not see your grades slip either," she chided, elbowing his side. "I've got a list of schools that I think will be perfect for you."  _The fact that they're the same schools I'm aiming for is just a coincidence, of course..._

"Of course." He chuckled at her elbowing, nodding his head as she stopped poking at him. "If you can, can you make sure your sister knows how much I appreciate everything she's done for us?"

_Typical Akira. Always thinking of everyone else,_ she thought with a mental chuckle. "Of course."

"And don't forget about what you've done either."

"I'm sorry?"

She was blushing as Akira began to explain, his eyes returning to the vanishing sun. There was just a fraction of light left as the sun vanished under the sea. "You were instrumental to the team, Makoto. You were practically our leader. The others might have looked to me as their confidante, but you led us to victory."

"A-Akira... That's ridiculous," she argued. She knew the young man was humble, but she couldn't believe how little credit he was giving himself. "You are our leader. You were the one who saved the world! It was your Persona who shot that so-called god!"

"We had all of Tokyo giving us a power boost. Satanel and I just got lucky that it was us," he calmly explained. "I pulled the trigger and gave the final blow, but..." He paused, before closing his eyes and sighing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start an argument. I just wanted you to know how fortunate we all were to meet and fight beside you. You're smart, kind, courageous... I could go on, but your face looks red enough."

Makoto was indeed red from the praise, her face practically a glow with scarlet embarrassment as his hand firmly squeezed her shoulder. "I appreciate all that you did for us. Your parents, your father especially, would be very proud of you," he promised her.

His words were so simple, so earnest. She brushed a stray hair from her head as she struggled to speak. There was a sense of giddiness inside of her that she barely contained. She knew, in her heart, that her parents would be proud of the woman she was growing into, but to hear another believing the same was uplifting. She closed her eyes as the sun bid them good night, and the wind whistled by the pair.

"Thank you, Akira. That's... that's very kind of you to say."

"I meant every word."

"You're always like this. You always seem to know just what to say to make someone happy. That's an amazing gift," she commented. Though she had long gotten used to it, he still found ways to surprise her. He truly was unlike anyone else.

"I just want people to be happy. Course, I wouldn't lie to make someone happy. I try to mean every word I say," he quickly explained. He scratched the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly.

"Honest, kind, hard working... Your own parents must be amazed at the son they've raised," she complimented.  _Actually, come to think of it... Akira's never really mentioned his parents before. I've never heard him say a word about them before._ "Akira? I- Huh?!" Makoto's crimson face as she saw her friend begin to take off his coat. He carefully laid it down on the stone as he stood up. "W-what are you doing?!"

"I just realized something, Makoto." He looked at her, teeth flashing. "We're at the beach."

His hands grabbed the hem of his shirt and he pulled at it, peeling the white shirt off of his body. He stretched a bit, allowing Makoto to see his muscular frame quite clearly. Her blush only got worse as he flexed his body. He certainly had a roguish charm to him, easily helped by his toned physique. Be that as it may, she still averted her eyes as he turned to her. She didn't understand why it was so hard to look him in the eyes.

"We're at the beach," he repeated. "But we haven't even touched the water!" He rolled his shoulders and grinned at the brunette. "Care to join me?"

"I-I didn't bring my bathing suit, and... um..." She finally looked up at him, and he had that enticing smile on.

"Who said anything about bathing suits?" Akira laughed at a joke only he seemed to hear, before he turned and ran towards the ocean. She heard him let out a 'whoo' before he jumped into the water, landing it in and immediately feeling the harsh, stinging chill. "Ooh! Cold!"

"Alright! Way to go, man!" Ryuji cheered from the sidelines. He had a mischievous grin on his face, before he ran forward, pulling at his own clothes. "Cannonball!"

"W-wait a second, Ryuji!" Ann tried and failed to slow the young man down. She cringed as he cried out from how cold the water was, before diving under it to help adjust himself to the temperature. "Darn it... Oh, what the hell?" Ann threw her jacket onto the group's towel, before running forward, kicking up sand as she chased after her friends. "Wait for me!"

Akira grinned at his friends joined him, before he turned his head to those still watching. He moved into the more shallow end of the water, and he held a hand out to Futaba as he shouted out to her. "Care to join us?"

Futaba blinked, dumbfounded by their leader's question, before she took a deep breath. Makoto could see her eyes squeeze shut as she pulled her arms close to her chest. Makoto could hear her thinking aloud. "Courage check... Passed! I'm coming too!"

The smaller girl ran as fast as her legs could carry her, before leaping into the air as high as she could. As luck would have it, Akira was able to read the situation and he moved forward, kicking water up as he came to Futaba's rescue. Makoto winced as the young girl collided with the older boy, sending them both falling into the water.

The two laid half-submerged in salty sea, staring at one another. Her body pinned his against the wet sand and their faces were mere inches apart. Makoto was about to call out to them, worried that they were hurt, before the two began to laugh. Akira not only stood up against Futaba's weight, but held the girl in his hands, feet dangling over the wet sand as a wave pushed against him.

He gently dropped her onto her own two feet and Makoto could see the young girl was soaking. Unlike the others, she had forgotten to take off her unnecessary clothing, meaning her entire jacket was now soaking wet, along with her shirt, hair, and practically everywhere else on her body. The two exchanged some words, before Akira helped the girl get out of the heavy, wet jacket.

Makoto sighed in relief, before smiling contently as the breeze played with her hair. She watched as Yusuke began to frame what he saw, using his fingers to create a border as his mind planned out a painting. Haru was holding Morgana in her arms as she skipped towards the auburn-haired girl skipped towards the water.

"Come on, Mona-chan! Let's join them!"

"H-hey! Haru! No! C-cats don't like water! W-which is totally unrelated to me not liking water! Let go!"

"Hmm... What an excellent sight. 'Oceanic Memories...'"

Makoto could see Yusuke take out his sketchbook from his bag, before he began to quickly jot down what he saw. She saw Futaba and Akira quickly splashing one another, calling out their attacks as Ann and Ryuji raced one another in the waist-high water. Haru carefully took off her coat to join the others, Mona watching just out of the ocean's reach.

The ruby-eyed brunette watched her friends with bemusement and exasperation, before she began to to walk towards them. True, her sweater would probably end up wet, but why not?  _I'm only young once..._ With a growing smile, Makoto ran to Haru and splashed water at the girl's back, making her cry out in surprise. For a moment, she was worried she had actually offended her friend, but a face full of salt water quickly proved that Haru could give as good as she took.

The group of friends laughed and played together, uncaring of the chilly water or the salty breeze. They would worry about that later. For now, the group merely wanted to enjoy their time together. Makoto dropped her serious facade and joined in the festivities, even taking Futaba onto her own shoulders for a battle against Ann and Ryuji. She laughed with the younger girl and Akira as Futaba pushed Ann off of Ryuji's shoulders, and the blonde model pulled Ryuji down with her.

Despite the joy in the air, Makoto couldn't deny there was a small nagging in her head. She told herself she was just being paranoid, as she raced to join her friends.

**END**


	2. Futaba

**Futaba**

Futaba had been arguing with Inari when Akira's voice called out to her. Suddenly the argument vanished from her mind. She stared at the leader of the Phantom Thieves, and he smiled back at her with an outstretched hand. The sun had set, leaving only the purple glow of twilight to illuminate the day. Akira looked like some kind of ethereal entity standing in the water, his silver eyes almost glowing as he silently called out to her.

There was a time that Futaba thought the very ground would crumble beneath her if she stepped out of her room. She remembered staying up, eyes glued to the ceiling, chest heavy as her mother's voice hissed in her ears. She'd go to sleep to the sound of her mother damning her, and she'd wake up to the sound of a car hitting soft flesh.

Futaba could still feel the dread in her body just from nearing the front door. Nothing was safe. No one could be trusted. Even Sojiro, for all of his hard work to be let in, was walled far from her heart. Death was a countdown timer, and every heartbeat sent her closer and closer to it.

Then Akira cut the wires, and showed her there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Courage check..." Her eyes came to a tight shut as she tried to charge herself up. Her key item was counting on her, holding his hand out to her! She wasn't going to disappoint him! She was gonna charge in there, no matter the difficulty level! Futaba could feel her key item's confidence in her, and she opened her eyes with a toothy grin. "Passed!" She ran forward, kicking up sand as she dashed towards him.

She nearly tripped herself, before she jumped as high as her legs could take her. Unfortunately, she came to a harsh realization that the water was a lot closer than she had earlier thought.  _Uh oh!_ She was plummeting back down to the water. Gravity was truly a harsh mistress... She closed her eyes and prepared herself for a face full of salt water, but it didn't feel right when she landed.

Futaba felt herself hitting something solid, before she was falling again, bringing whatever she had hit with her. They fell into the water, splashing it around as cold seawater fell on her body and head. She felt her arms slip against whatever they were against and become drenched in the salty seawater.

"Ah... Futaba, are you okay?" a voice asked her. A warm breeze tickled her lips as she opened her eyes.

"H-huh?"

Akira was under her body, and their faces were just inches apart. His breath felt hot against her cold, wet skin. Her vibrant, orange hair draped over them like a waterfall, the tips dipping into the water as she laid on top of him. One hand was over his shoulder, drenched in the water, while the other hand was slowly climbing onto his chest, feeling his robust, muscles against her fingers. Hr laid below her in the shallow water, keeping her from falling into it completely as her legs slipped and fell into the cool sea..

Futaba felt her cheeks burn as her heart began to pound like a gatling gun with infinite ammo. Akira just smiled at her, his silver eyes shimmering as she stared into them. Her breasts were on his chest, feeling his abs through the thin fabric of her clothes.  _Wow, he's really muscular,_ the girl thought, only for the blush on her cheeks to spread to her ears and neck.

"Ah...Ah...?"  _Darn it, say something!_ "A-are you okay, Akira?! I'm so sorry!" She tried to push herself off of him, but everything felt wet and she wasn't thinking clearly. Just being near Akira seem to make her act confused and clumsy, because she soon slipped and fell forward again, landing on his chest with a quiet groan. "Ow..." She could clearly feel his firm body against her cheek, and it made her feel very... warm.

"Futaba, calm down. I'm alright. I'm more worried about you. That was quite the fall."

Her hands were on his chest. She could feel his body against her sensitive, wet fingertips and she tried not to think about how strong he felt. How his muscles seemed to almost tremble with power. She lifted her head up and found herself staring at his naked chest, making the pounding in her heart quicken. Her heart felt like it was lodged up her throat as she shook her head.

"N-no, I'm okay!"

"Good." He continued to smile at her, and she lifted her head to focus on his lips instead. Her fingers could still feel the warmth of his skin, something that should have been impossible in the cold water, yet she felt like her body was on fire. Futaba told her racing heart to stop, and she began to take slow, meticulous breaths.

Her glasses, which had been barely clinging to her ear at this point, slipped off and gently bounced against Akira's face. They laid on his chest as Futaba and Akira continued to stare into one another's eyes. The two saw each other without their glasses, taking in one another. Futaba stared into the shimmering, silver pools of his eyes as he stared into her own violet eyes.

Without warning, the two began to snicker, before they began to laughter. They laughed at one another, and at themselves as Akira spoke.

"Here, let me help you up." Futaba barely had time to register the words as he began to stand, his arms wrapping around her body as she let out a quiet squeak of worry. He had one hand on her back, just above her butt as his other hand slipped against her naked legs. "It's okay. I've got you." And she believed him. She knew he wouldn't lie to her.

"Wrap your arms around my neck." She did so, and he effortlessly held her up with one hand as his other hand helped him stand up. He quickly returned his hand to her legs, resting them just under her knees, and Futaba quickly realized he was holding her bridal style. "There. See? Easy?"

"Y-you're really strong," she commented. She was turning red again.

"Thanks," he replied back. A wave pushed his legs, but he didn't even shake. "You know, you have to be careful, Futaba."

"I don't need to be careful. I got you," she shot back, grinning as her arms moved from his neck to the shoulder opposite of her.

"Cute." He rolled his eyes with his characteristic smile, before glancing at her shoulder. "I think you should take your jacket off."

"Wait, what?!" she gasped, eyes widening. He's  _so daring...!_ She almost released him after that comment, but he quickly explained.

"It's wet. It's going to weigh you down, or get ruined by the ocean," he explained. "Why? What did you think I meant?" He chuckled at her scarlet cheeks and sharp glare, before she found herself smiling along. Kind as Akira may be, even he couldn't resist messing around with his friends. He gently placed her down onto her feet, before watching her take her soaked jacket off of her body.

Futaba told herself it didn't mean anything, but there was just something about the setting that made it all feel surreal. A shirtless Akira watching her take her clothes off of her soaking, wet body. Futaba continued to glow a dark shade of red, but she tried to brush the thoughts aside as she threw her wet jacket onto dry land and smirked at him.

"Alright! Let's have some fun!"

* * *

Futaba was soaking wet and exhausted, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She clapped at the water with her hands, attacking Akira with splash attack after splash attack. He laughed off her series of attacks, before retaliating with one of his own. She barely dodged his 'Fatal Style Ocean Whip' maneuver, but she ended up falling victim to his ultimate attack: picking her up and falling into the water with her.

The two rivals then joined forces to take down the evil King and Queen of Blond Hair. Futaba cheered as she stood on Akira's shoulders and playfully wrestled with Ann. She and Ryuji were strong, but nothing could stop Akira and Futaba when they worked together! They defeated the two and sent them crashing into the water as the victors basked in their triumph.

Eventually the fun had to end, and the group began to walk back onto dry land. Akira and Futaba were side by side as Makoto smiled at them.

"Alright, you two, go change into something dry. Dinner's almost ready."

The two nodded their heads, only for Futaba to pause. Her eyes widened as she mentally cursed at herself. "Oops."

"What's wrong?" Akira asked, raising his brow.

"Um, I might have forgotten to pack extra clothes."

"What?! Futaba, I told you to bring extra!" scolded Makoto.

"I forgot!" The orange-haired girl crossed her wet arms over her chest and pouted as Akira chuckled at her.

"It's okay. You can borrow some of mine. We'll see what fits you and make it work, okay?"

"Are you sure, Akira?" Makoto inquired. "We could ask Haru. She's more Futaba's size, and-"

"N-no!" Futaba declared. The two older teens looked at her and she tried her best to appear nonchalant. "I mean, Akira already offered. So I'm okay with wearing his stuff, I mean..."

"Alright then," the black-haired boy grinned. "Come on. You can change in the car, then we'll have some dinner with the others."

"Yeah! Dinner time!" Futaba clapped her wet hands and beamed with a toothy smirk. "Let's go!" She and Akira quickly walked to the parked car, the moon glittering above them as the waves of the sea crashed behind them. The parking lot where the car laid was not far from the others. Futaba could easily see the campfire from inside the van.

Akira stood just just outside the car, his back to her as he leaned against the vehicle's frame.  _Okay. Time to change my gear,_ she told herself. She began to peel the wet clothes off of her body, before dropping them onto the floor. She was left in her bra and panties, and she blushed intensely as she realized how lewd this all seemed. Her, half naked and wet, and Akira, a handsome young man right outside. What if he looked inside...?

 _N-no! Stop that! Akira's not gonna look inside! He's way too nice for that!_ _Not like there's much for him to see, anyways..._ That thought popped into her brain like a bubble, yet it left a lingering sting. She glared at her small, supple chest. She was still more like a child than a woman, while Akira was practically a man.

She glanced out the window again, just beyond Akira's head, and she saw the others sitting by the fire. All of the girls were there, and each of them was just a different type of beautiful.

Haru was so damn gorgeous. Ann was one of the hottest girls Futaba had ever seen. Makoto was practically the complete package, with both brains, brawn, and beauty. Meanwhile, Futaba was the little girl with a flat chest and social anxiety. How was she supposed to look compared to the others? Nothing more than a baby sister... Compared to the other girls, Akira wouldn't even look twice at her.

Not that she wanted him to look twice at her! They were just friends... No, better than that. They were teammates. That's what they were, simple as that.  _Teammate, oh teammate,_  she reminded herself. That's why her heart raced when she was around him. That's why she felt jealousy gnawing at her brain whenever his eyes lingered on another girl...

 _Gah! Come on, Futaba! Snap out of it,_ she commanded herself. She had other matters to deal with. The orange-haired girl released a groan of frustration as she realized her bra and panties were soaked from her dive into the water. She quickly went through Makoto's clothing, silently promising to ask for forgiveness later as Futaba pulled out a navy blue bra and matching panties from inside Makoto's luggage.

A quick examination only cultivated Futaba's frustration. Makoto's bra was a little too big for her.  _If Makoto is this bad, I'd hate to see Ann's,_ she sighed. She decided to just wear a loose shirt or something. She'd deal with this problem later. She dropped the underwear, before pulling on one of Akira's shirt.

Sojiro called her cute, but he was practically her dad. He had to say that stuff. Even if she was cute, what was cute compared to pure sex appeal? Boys like Akira were probably into supermodels like Ann, and if not her, then they were definitely into gorgeous women like Haru, or badasses like Makoto.

 _Why can't I stop thinking about it!?_ Futaba was growing more and more annoyed with her own brain. She tried to think about other things, tried to distract herself, yet her mind wouldn't stop. It kept wondering about the worst possible outcomes, like what if whatever girl he picked made it so Akira had no time for his teammate, Futaba?

After all, she used to be the Phantom Thieves' Navigator, but what about now? The group didn't need a hacker for their day to day lives. They didn't need someone like like her holding them back. Why would any of them choose to be friends with her if she had nothing to give back to them...?

Futaba suddenly found it hard to breathe. The harsh truth was plaguing her mind. She tried to tell her mind to shut up, tried to ignore the lump in her throat, but nothing felt right. The truth hit her like a hammer across the face, and it tasted like bile on her tongue. She had known Akira was leaving, but the fear of him never coming back was paralyzing.

Worse than that, it was likely.

She couldn't go back to the way things were. Futaba didn't want to hide away from the world anymore. Akira saved her life, gave it back to her! She couldn't lose him!

"Akira...?" Her voice trembled, and she told herself it was because she was cold. She knew it wasn't true.

"Yeah?" His voice answered from the other side of the car door.

Futaba didn't know what to say for the longest time, before she mumbled loudly. "You're coming back, right?"

"What?" He sounded surprised. Or unsure.

 _He has to come back!_ The idea of never seeing him again burned at her mind like a piece of hot metal. It stung to even consider and she quickly began to panic as the very idea sent a shiver down her spine.

"You have to come back!" she demanded. "You have to come back, and meet Kana-chan, and you have to come back to see Sojiro again, and-and you have to promise you're going to keep trying to make his curry until you make it even better than Sojiro!" She kicked at the door, without thinking, before crying out as she fell back. She landed on her butt as Akira's voice called out to her.

"Futaba! Are you okay?!" He was facing the car now, hand against the door, ready to pull it open.

"Y-yeah," she sighed. "Just fell down."

"Good. Now then, do you really think I wasn't coming back?" he inquired. He didn't sound mad, more concerned. A simple distinction, but one that comforted the girl.

"I... I guess, yeah." She shrugged her shoulder, scared of admitting how her anxiety was biting at her mind. "You have to come back," she pleaded, but she tried her best to make it sound like a demand.

"I promise, I will."

 _He promised..._ She told herself that again and again. She let out a breath of relief as she nodded to herself. "You promised. That means you have to keep it." She pulled on a pair of soft, grey, sweat shorts; stretchy ones that clung well enough to her body. She pulled open the door once she was properly dressed and dry, and Akira greeted her with a smile.

"Or else, I'll find you and I'll... I'll kick your butt!" She lifted the corners of her lips, giving him a toothy grin as she held out her arm to him. Her pinkie was extended out, nearly poking his nose. Without a moment of hesitation, he lifted up his own pinkie and hooked it around hers.

"I promise, Futaba. I'll come back."

And Futaba's grin slowly shifted into an earnest, gentle smile. Akira's voice soothed her panicking mind, and his touch eased her racing heart.  _He promised..._

* * *

Akira Kusuru walked by Futaba's side as they made their way back to their friends. Their feet touched the cool sand, kicking up bits of it as they took their time. The raven-haired man noticed how Futaba's feet seemed to drag, and how her gaze fell low. She was clearly deep in thought.

He also couldn't help but notice how amazing Futaba looked tonight. Akira wasn't blind, he could easily see that many of his closest associates were attractive women. He also knew that others might find Futaba unattractive, due to her age, or her own nature. But Akira saw a gorgeous woman every time he looked at her.

He found himself staring at her hair, watching it sway behind her, waving at him, almost teasing him. He was mesmerized by the waterfall of warm, summery orange. It reflected the moonlight so well, and he remembered feeling her hair fall onto his body when she had fallen onto him. Their faces had been so close...

Akira could still see her face just inches from his. A small nose, pillowy, pink lips, and her eyes. Perhaps the most stunning feature of the growing beauty. Akira had never seen violet eyes before. They were unique, they were spectacular, they were perfect for Futaba.

And those were just the everyday traits Futaba had. Akira tried not to stare, but his shirt was having a hard time ignoring how loose the black shirt was. It hung just off center, exposing her bare shoulder to his skin. His eyes drifted to her exposed skin, and he cursed the weakness. He tore his eyes from her and mentally sighed.

Akira prided himself on acting like a gentleman, but he was only human. A cute girl was wearing his clothes. Lots of guys fantasized about such a thing. He shook his head, before taking a steady breath.  _Focus, idiot. Help Futaba. Stop gawking, and help..._

"Futaba, do you remember what I said at the school?" He came to a stop, and she did the same. She was standing in front of him, her back to him. "When you and I went to Shujin for your Promise List? I told you that everyone gets stuck on their pain sooner or later. Everyone has mistakes that they can't forget, and regrets they have to live with. Everyone has them. You're not weak for being scared."

Akira had always been adept at reading people, especially if those individuals were being troubled by something. It was one of many gifts he had that came in handy during his life as Joke. Futaba released a long sigh as she hugged herself. A cool wind gently struck the two.

"I thought I kicked this stupid habit." Futaba kicked at a small mound of sand, growling. "I don't want to be wrapped up in the past, and I really don't want to be scared of the future! I just want to be normal!" she fumed. "But I keep getting scared, just like how I used to... I'm scared of being alone, and of you never coming back, and... and all sorts of stuff, I guess."

"Habits are hard to break." He spoke gently, trying to calm Futaba down without making her feel guilty or small. "But if I can be honest with you? I hope you never become normal." He walked forward, around her shivering body as his silver eyes met her violet orbs. He spoke straight from his heart, telling her exactly what he saw in those purple eyes. "Futaba, you're an amazing young woman. Just a year ago, you were a victim of abuse and cruelty."

He felt a tinge of anger pierce his mind. He remembered the injustices Futaba had faced in her life, from Shido and her uncle. Akira found himself biting into his bottom lip for a moment, before he buried that rage away. He couldn't let that feeling poison his voice. "Now look at you? You stopped a god, you saved the world, you avenged your mother... We wouldn't have gotten anywhere without your support."

"Maybe, but what about after you leave?" Futaba almost fell to the ground, probably to take her rather 'unique' sitting position, but Akira's arms caught her. He lifted her up and steadied her. She tried to pull away, but her attempts were halfhearted. "I was the Oracle of the Phantom Thieves, but now that our adventures are over, I'm just... Futaba. I'm the weird girl that makes everyone feel awkward, I'm the victim that everyone feels bad for, I'm-"

"Still the amazing girl that anyone would be lucky to know." Akira had no intention of simply standing by as Futaba insulted herself. His voice was firm as his hands fell onto her shoulders. Their faces were close as she looked up to meet his gaze. "You're one of my closest friends. Hell, you're my best friend, and I'm telling you that anyone would be lucky to know you. You are so much more than just the Phantom Thieves' navigator. You're a genius! You're a hero of justice. You're funny, talented, and wonderfully offbeat."

He chuckled at the rosy hue appearing on her face. "And I promise, that I'll come back to you. I still need to beat you at 'Power Intuition.'"

Akira's words hit their mark, and a smile formed on her lips. "Heh, yeah, right! You'll never reach my level!"

"Just you wait. The student shall soon become the master," he promised, stepping away from her. He blinked, glancing at her fingers catching one of his hands. They were holding hands, and for some reason, he was the one feeling warm now.

"Akira?"

"Yeah?"

She lunged at him suddenly, wrapping her arms around his body and squeezing tightly, pressing their bodies together. Akira's breath was caught in his throat as he felt her body press itself against his. Akira knew Futaba was a beautiful young woman, but feeling her body against his reminded him of how much of a woman she was. Her supple, and soft, breasts pushed against his chest as her head buried itself under his neck. The thin fabric of their clothes painted a picture in Akira's mind, and for a moment, only one, he wondered if Futaba was wearing a bra.

Before he could answer that question, he focused his mind and returned the gesture, hugging Futaba. She sighed in relief at his touch, muttering. "You're my best friend too." Akira enjoyed the sensation of the beautiful girl hugging him, and his fingers gently stroked her back as she laid against him. She pulled back, just so they could see into each other's eyes. Her smile shined in the night as the moon's light reflected off of her glasses. The two friends stood there for a moment longer, before she released him. "Thank you."

"Anytime." The two returned to their walk, making their way back to the others. Akira could feel a slight warmth to his cheeks, but he ignored the sensation. He rested his hands in his pockets as he walked by Futaba's side once more. The sound of crashing waves greeted them as they walked.

"Think Makoto will let us stay here a bit longer in the morning?" the girl wondered.

"Hm. Maybe?" he answered. "Why do you ask?"

"I was really hoping I could find a spider crab out here. Those things are awesome!"

"That would be pretty cool. I'd be more interested in a shark with metal legs crawling out of the sea." He chuckled at her audible gasp. He knew she'd appreciate that reference.

"Gyo, right? From Junji Ito? I saw that movie! It was so gross!" she laughed.

" I left my copies of the manga with Sojiro if you want to read them." Her violet eyes lit up, and Akira smiled as she nodded her head. He was blessed to know the young woman, and he knew that one day she would make someone very happy. The corners of his smile trembled, but he held his mask up high.

Futaba would find true love one day, and then she'd no longer need him by her side. He knew what what his role in Futaba's life was. He was her emotional support, her pillar, but one day he wouldn't be needed. She'd outgrow him. He accepted that fact, promising to enjoy what time they did have.

* * *

Futaba always smiled when Akira was by her side. He really was her Key Item, even miles away, he'd be supporting her and making her stronger. She knew the pounding in her chest was a sign of their close teammateness. Her sweaty palms, her warm cheeks, her shortness of breath. All signs of how good teammates she was with Akira.

 _Teammate, oh teammate..._ Futaba told herself that this was enough. That she could die as long as she knew Akira and the others were her teammates, but something just felt off about it. She couldn't understand what was missing, but she tried to tell herself it didn't matter.

 _Whenever I'm with Akira, I feel like I can do anything. I feel like I'm invincible, and that nothing can stop me... None of our other teammates have this kind of effect on me. I know he's Key Item, but..._ Futaba glanced at Akira, cheeks red and breath shallow.

Futaba wanted more. She wanted Akira... It was like a hunger. It was a strange kind of desire. She wanted to hold Akira's hand. To be together forever as something more than just teammates. She wanted something, but she didn't have the word for it.

She just knew she wanted Akira to a part of it...

**END**


	3. Haru

Haru Okumura sat with Makoto on the shores of the beach. She watched as the sun went down, and the day began to turn to night. It was an amazing view, something that inspired awe in the young woman. She had never been this far out of Tokyo before. The city had always been a place burning with life. The crashing waves of the beach was so quiet compared to the symphony of Tokyo.

For Haru, it was a welcome change.

The young woman was used to huge, extravagant meals crafted by some of the finest cooks her father could afford. She wasn't ungrateful for the cooks' work, but this was so charmingly different. She had a fishing rod in her hand, standing on the sand as water pelted her naked feet. Mako-chan was by her side, keeping her company as they fished in the sunset. Morgana sat behind them, just out of the water's reach as he cheered the two on.

"Stupid Inari!"

"How dare you?!"

Futaba and Yusuke's loud voices broke the tranquility, like a hammer through glass. Haru turned her head to stare at the two, and while she couldn't understand what they were arguing about, she found herself a little jealous.

The two were so close to one another, Haru found it hard to believe they had only known each other for a few months. They were the kind of friends who could trade insults with one another, but they were still friends. Haru had never had a bond like that, though to be honest, she wouldn't no what to do with such a bond. The thought of fighting with any of her friends was abhorrent to the young woman.

But for Futaba and Yusuke, it was just how they expressed their friendship.  _It's sweet, in its own way,_ she thought.

Then there was Ryuji and Ann. Haru couldn't help but to admire their bond as well. From what Akira had told her, the two were childhood friends who became separated as the years went by. Becoming Phantom Thieves was the perfect chance for them to reconnect. The two were walking along the shore, smiling and laughing with every step. They were so close to one another...

She was blessed to be surrounded by such amazing friends, but for Haru, one stood out among them. Haru's almond eyes traveled along the beach until she saw him. The young raven-haired man sat on a large stone, admiring the sunset. Akira Kurusu looked so at peace there. He was content, and that brought joy to her heart. After everything he had been through, he deserved it.

She wasn't the only one staring at Akira though. Haru wasn't surprised to find Makoto's crimson eyes on the young man as well. The auburn-haired girl almost sighed at the sight. Makoto couldn't have made her feelings for the young man more obvious.

It only took one glance for Haru to realize there was something to the way Makoto looked at him. Her eyes lit up, her smile grew, her face became flush... It was as if Haru was watching a love story come to life right in front of her. Makoto was helplessly in love with Akira.

"Akira-kun looks so peaceful there, doesn't he?" Makoto glanced at her friend, a smile still shining on her lips.

"He does."

"I wonder what he's thinking of?" Haru wondered aloud, watching as the other girl spoke.  _Why doesn't she talk to him...?_

"He's probably just enjoying the scenery," Makoto answered, shrugging her shoulder slightly.

Makoto and Akira were close, even closer than he was with Ryuji, and it was easy to see why. Makoto was the group's second in command, like the mind and mother of the group. Akira was the father, and he was the heart of their family. Makoto led them with a firm hand, while Akira pushed them with a warm voice. Together, the two were perfect halves of the same whole.

"Hm... I'm going to miss him." The words felt ridiculous to say. Not because they weren't true, but because they weren't true enough. To say she'd miss him was like calling the sun 'warm.' Haru felt like she was losing a part of herself...

When she told President Takakura about her ambitions, Akira was by her side, his hand on hers, cheering her own. He was her strength, and without him, she wondered just who she was left as. She couldn't go back to being someone else's pawn... She just didn't know what else she could be. She didn't feel like Haru Okumura without him around...

Haru's thoughts were brushed away when Makoto grunted loudly beside her. The brunette had caught another fish, and she was beginning to reel it in while speaking. "Akira-kun may be leaving, but he will be back before we... know it!" She pulled on the line, gritting her teeth slightly as she strained pull the fish up. "But I understand what you mean. It just won't be home without him."

_Makoto's so strong, not to mention confident. Not just in herself, but in Akira... I wish I could be more like her,_ Haru thought. She painted a smile on her face, tilting her head slightly as she commented, "It's wonderful that the two of you are so close to one another."

"Close? I-I suppose we are." Makoto was modest.  _Another reason Akira and her were meant to be,_  Haru thought to herself. Akira and Makoto had the fairytale kind of love. A pure, crimson bond that linked them together...

_You have the perfect man standing right in front of you. You love him, and he must love you back. Why hesitate?_ Could it be that Makoto didn't like Akira that way? But that felt insane to Haru. Absolutely ridiculous. The two were closer than any pair of friends could be, and what girl their age could resist Akira? He was the perfect man. An utter gentleman, but with a roguish charm that would make most women swoon...

"Morgana! Haru! The net!" Makoto's voice tore Haru from her thoughts. The ginger-haired woman completely forgot about what they had been doing. Makoto still had a fish on her line, and the flopping animal was quickly nearing the two.

"Huh? R-right!" Together the two soon caught the fish, putting it in with the others they had fished out of the sea.

Haru sighed in relief, wiping a thin film of sweat from her head as Makoto did the same. "Thank goodness. Makoto, do you think that will be enough for dinner?" The other girl nodded her head, and Morgana practically danced behind the two. Haru exhaled through her nose, before breathing in the sweet, salty aroma of the sea. It was nice to finally be done.

Haru's eyes slowly swept over the beach, only to come to a stop as she saw the young man was still alone. She wanted to approach him, but a simple reminder bubbled in her head. She wasn't who he wanted to see. They were friends, close friends, but Haru knew that compared to the other members of the team, one in particular, she wasn't anything special. So Haru molded a smile onto her face as she looked at Makoto.

"You should talk to him, you know."

"Huh?" Ignorance or denial, nothing would stop Haru from playing the role of Cupid.

"You should talk to Akira-kun. You won't have many chances left to," she insisted.  _A boy and a girl, the best of friends, separated by miles apart. Yet opposites always attract..._ It was the perfect kind of storybook romance. Something out of one of Haru's books. It was a beautiful story just waiting to be told. All it needed was a push to begin.

"I already said my goodbyes before we left." Makoto was logical, and naturally born to lead. She was like stone, unbending and stubborn. Akira was a stream, the only thing capable of picking the stone up and carrying it to where it could shine best.

"Not like that. You should just... talk to him." Haru shrugged her shoulders, but she kept her smile plastered on. "I think he just wants you by his side."

"How... could you know that?" Haru giggled at the sight of Makoto's obvious embarrassment. The auburn-haired girl laughed to hide the churning in her gut. She refused to show her frustration as she tightened her plastic smile.

"Call it a feeling," Haru replied, taking Makoto's fishing rod from her hands. "Go. I'll clean up here and start getting the fish ready. It'll be our last dinner together, so I'll make sure to put my all into it!" The young woman didn't allow Makoto to even reply. "Come on, Mona-chan!"

Makoto and Morgana watched Haru pick up the cooler. It was heavy, but strangely nostalgic. Haru remembered the times she'd have to carry fertilizer, pots, or even flowers to the roof of the school. It was a tiring task, but Akira would always be by her side to help.  _Time I stop slowing him down,_ she told herself.

The cat lifted his head to look at Makoto, and Haru could hear the feline's advice to the girl. "Maybe Haru's right, Queen. You and Akira are close, after all. I'm sure he'd love to talk to you." Even Morgana saw it. Everyone saw it. Everyone in the group secretly hoped that the two would confess their feelings to one another.

Makoto would make Akira happy, and Haru knew that Akira would do the same for her. They'd kiss under the moonlight, and they'd spend every day thinking of one another before they had a wedding, and lived happily ever after. Every little detail was going to be perfect in their lives. Haru should have been happy to play a part in their story.

Haru put the cooler and fishing rods down and massaged her dry throat. She had to prepare dinner. She ignored the dull ache in her bones as she worked, taking out a sanitized board to cut the fish on. She had to cut them open to remove the bones and fill them with spices, but as she worked the sound of laughter tickled her ear. Haru saw Makoto and Akira sitting by each other's side on a large rock, both of them grinning.

_He's happier with her._ A simple fact. What did Haru have to offer him? Exotic coffee and money? Akira wasn't some toy to be bought. He was a love to be earned, and Haru had failed on all accounts. She had lost in a race before it had even begun. Makoto was her academic and physical superior.

_"I mean, if you have time to mess around with this punk, you damn well have time to get a little thinner."_

Sugimura's words shot through her head like a bullet. her fingers tightened around the knife, skin turning pale as she ground her teeth. Sugimura was... was an awful person, but he wasn't completely wrong. Haru wasn't as thin as Makoto was. In fact Haru was probably the heaviest of the four girls. Her thighs were huge, her tummy bulbous, and her chest filled with fat.

She pulled her smile tighter and told herself to stop. She didn't mean to, but Akira's words ranged through her head, drowning out Sugimura's.

_"You're beautiful, Haru."_

_Beautiful...?_ She lifted her eyes from the fish and looked at Akira. He was probably the greatest thing to happen to her. Because of him, she was freed. She was free to be her own person. Whoever that was, her life was hers again because of him. The other Phantom Thieves helped, of course, but Akira...

The least Haru could do was make sure he ended up with someone deserving.

* * *

That night the group enjoyed the food Haru had prepared together. They sat around the firepit on improvised seats as the stars glittered above their heads. Haru was pleased to hear her friends were enjoying her food, blushing under their praise.

"This is amazing, Haru!" Akira commented, after finishing his first fish. He was sitting right by Haru's side, the two sharing the same large, wooden log to sit on.

"Yeah! Mmm! It's like it's melting on my tongue!" Ryuji agreed, his cheeks filled with food. He sat on the log to left of Haru, with Ann by his side and Morgana eating between the two blondes.

"Indeed. This has been prepared excellently. If I did not know better, I would say an expert of the culinary arts prepared this," Yusuke added, quietly picking meat off his own food. He, Futaba, and Makoto shared the largest of improvised seats.

"Omnomnomnom!" Futaba shoved more of the delicious dinner into her already-filled mouth. She struggled to chew all of it, making an approval moan as she nodded her head. Her eating was only rivaled by Morgana, who was happily devouring his food off of a plate on the ground.

"Easy there, Futaba," Makoto reminded, handing the younger girl a bottle of water.

"Seriously, great work, Haru-senpai," Ann beamed.

"T-thank you, everyone. I didn't do anything special, though. I just cooked the fish like the video said..." Haru smiled at the others, bowing her head slightly as Akira bit into his fish once more.

"Don't sell yourself short, Haru. I think you did great." Akira smiled at her, and that familiar warmth in her chest became a hot fire.

"Thank you, Akira-kun," she muttered, avoiding his silver eyes and gazing into the hot, dancing fire. "But really, i-it was nothing." Back in Tokyo, as humiliating as it was to admit, Haru actually had dreams about cooking food by Akira's side. She imagined the two at a cafe, like LeBlanc, where they would prepare food and coffee together.

It was a silly, childish dream, she realized.

"Are we ready for dessert?" Akira asked, smiling at the group.

"Dessert!" Futaba cheered, throwing her hands in the air.

"Heck yeah! What kind of sweets did you guys get?" Ann wondered, practically licking her lips.

"Makoto actually suggested a dessert from the West. Anyone ever had s'mores before?" Akira picked up a sealed, plastic bag of marshmallows as Makoto took out a similar bag full of chocolates, and another one filled with crackers.

Ann clapped her hands together, her smile widening as she nodded her head. "Ooh! My parents made that for me when I was young once! They're delicious!"

Futaba's eyes widened as she leaned forward. "I've read about them, but I've never had them before! Hurry! I want one!"

"Alright, I'll bite," chuckled Ryuji. "What's a s'more?"

"It's a common campfire treat in the United States, and Canada. It's made by placing a roasted marshmallow and some slightly melted chocolate between two graham crackers. Another name for them is graham cracker sandwiches," Makoto explained, as she opened the bags.

"The name comes from the words 'some more.' Because people always ask for more s'mores," chuckled Akira. The others were excited to try the treat, but Haru was left rather puzzled at the sight. She watched as Akira took out several long, metal rods and began to hand them out to everyone. She took one of the sticks, staring at it with clear confusion.

"You impale the marshmallow on the end of the stick, then you roast it over the fire," whispered Akira. He smiled at her, leaning towards her ever so slightly. He felt close to her, their faces almost touching. He pulled away as he pushed the stick into the large marshmallow, and she did her best to mimic the motion. Then they, and the rest of their friends, began to hold the marshmallows over the small fire.

"Man, this is awesome. Hey, Ann? Remember when our classes went on that camping trip?" Ryuji turned his head to smile at Ann.

"I remember your snoring keeping everyone up. You were in a completely different tent, and I still heard you."

"Uh... Sure you aren't talking about your snoring?"

"I do not snore!"

"Alright, alright, calm down, you two," chuckled Makoto.

"Ooh! Dude, we should tell scary stories! Anyone got anything good?" wondered Ryuji.

Haru felt a rush of excitement, and her eyes lit up as she looked at the others. Her tight, thin lips finally opened into a real grin.  _Scary stories? How exciting!_ Haru, for the first time that day, was truly happy. There was something fascinating about rotting corpses, rampaging monsters, and knife-obsessed slashers that just left her spine tingling in the best kind of way.

Her love of the genre only grew after meeting Akira. She never had any friends, at least none that she could go to the movies with, until she met the Phantom Thieves. Haru had spent well-over an hour just staring at her phone, wondering how she could ask the young man to come with her to the movies. He must have been asleep by the time she texted him, yet he answered back almost immediately.

_'I'd love to come with you. I've been wanting to see Pach-saw for a while. See you tomorrow?'_

Haru smiled at the memories, even as others in the group didn't sound nearly as excited as she was.

* * *

Akira was beaming. The young man was eager for the chance to tell a horror story to the group. Growing up, Akira had always been a fan of horror, but he only had a chance to share that hobby after coming to Tokyo. No one in his family wanted to see scary movies with him, and even the other Phantom Thieves were reluctant to see the gory films he wanted to watch.

Haru was the first person in his life who actually asked him if he wanted to go see a horror film together. He smiled at that memory as he glanced around the circle. If no one else was going to...

"What kind of stories?!" Makoto's eyes widened. "Um, perhaps we should talk about something else!"

"Y-yeah, I'm with Makoto. Let's talk about literally anything else," pleaded Ann.

"Ooh, I wanna hear some horror stories! Come on, just one!" begged Futaba.

"A man is lost in the woods, trying to find his way out. He finds an empty cabin with the front door laying inside. He's too tired not to try going inside... He calls out if anyone is inside, but no one answers." Akira's voice silenced the entire group. It was low, almost foreboding as his smile was replaced with an empty glare.

"So he decides to sleep in the cabin. Better to ask for forgiveness, than permission, after all. He drags his feet through the cabin, noticing the cuts on the couch, and the markings on the wall. Just the kind of trash and debris you'd find in an old cabin." Akira noticed Haru inching closer to his side, her eyes wide. He was happy she was enjoying the story. His eyes darted to the rest of the group.

Futaba was wide-eyed, taking slow, shallow breaths as Makoto clung to her. Yusuke looked up from his sketchbook, brows raised in curiosity. Ryuji's mouth hung open, as if he hadn't expected Akira to have a story in mind. Ann digging her fingers into her knees, trying to remain calm as Morgana hid between her legs.

"He finally finds the bed on the second story and he falls asleep on it. After his eyes adjust, he notices a painting of a smiling man in the dark room. He shrugs it off though, too tired to care. Rain begins to pelt the outside of the house, and it leaks in through the ceiling. He pulls the blanket over his body, trying to ignore the drops that land on him."

"When he finally woke up, he pulled the wet covers off from his body and looked around. His blood turned cold. The portrait wasn't there. Instead, there was a window to the forest outside. Without much thought, he grabbed his things and ran towards the front door, only stopping when he saw something."

"What did he see?" Haru inquired, putting her fingers to her mouth to muffle her voice. Akira gave her a sideways glance, and a quick smile, before continuing.

"The door had fallen inside the house. Like someone had broke in. And the markings were words, he realized. Upside down, scratched into the wooden walls. He turned his head, blood turning cold as he read the words. Saliva dripped onto his neck as he read the warning. 'Look up.' He lifted his head up, and a smiling, toothy gri-"

"Ahh!" Makoto screamed, crushing Futaba. "Stop stop stop!"

"Oh my God!" Ann cried out, falling out of her seat, glaring at Makoto. "Why?!"

"Ow! Ow ow ow! Help!" cried the youngest of the teens.

"Wait, I don't get it," Ryuji commented. "What was with the painting?"

"But... no one even died."

Everyone commented on the story, either terrified or confused by it. Yet it was Haru's comment that caught Akira's attention. After all, she was the only one else in the group to really enjoy horror films. He smiled at her, and explained.

"I was aiming more for psychological horror. You know, like how monsters can be everywhere, just watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

"I guess that makes sense... I just think it'd be better with detail. Like in the movie we saw!" Her eyes lit up, and the sight of her smile warmed Akira's heart. "The killer wore the face of his victim? I think that would have helped a lot. Just something to add to it, or-Oh! What if the traveler found the last victim? With meat still hanging on their bo-?"

"Guys!" Ann growled. "Can you not?!"

"Sorry," the two apologized, before looking at one another. The boy and girl's eyes locked on each other's for a few moments, before Haru whispered to him.

"I just think that a more physical threat would have made the story better," she muttered. "It just felt like a lot of build up for nothing."

He smiled at her as he whispered back. "I did get interrupted. Maybe the smiling man was about to rip his throat out with his teeth. Maybe he was going to tackle him down and pin him as he went to town on his organs."

Akira could see the shudder dancing up Haru's spine, and he smirked with pride. "Ooh. That sounds bloodcurdling... It reminds me of the Pach-saw movie we saw! When the elephant jumped down from the cliff and impaled a man on its horn?"

He laughed in return. Haru really did enjoy that movie. Akira had to remember to take her to another one when he ever came back to Tokyo. "I loved that scene." He inched a bit closer, admiring Haru's smiling lips as his mind wandered for a moment.

Akira's bond was Haru was simple. The two had become remarkably close in their short time together. It was easy to see why, though. Haru was an astounding young woman. She was kind, brave, and strong. In truth, she was the kind of person Akira wish he could be. The kind of strength she carried with every step... He felt his cheeks turn warm as Ryuji's voice caught his attention.

"Haru? Your marshmallow."

"Huh? Oh no!" Akira stared at Haru's now burning marshmallow. The thing had been kept over the fire the whole time he had been talking, and now it was burnt to a crisp. The marshmallow was a bubbling, misshapen mess at the end of her stick, slowly melting onto the ground. Haru quickly dumped the burnt treat into the fire, sighing.

"Here, you can have mine." Akira quickly put together a s'more for her, handing it to the girl with a smile. Melted chocolate oozed between the two crackers, melding with the gooey, golden marshmallow.

"Oh no, I couldn't. It's yours."

"I insist. I'll just start roasting another for myself."

Haru hesitated for a moment, before nodding her head. "Thank you, Akira-kun."

"My pleasure."

Morgana once said that Akira and Haru were a lot alike, and the young man couldn't argue that. Akira was often called 'kind,' or 'sweet.' If he was a good person, Haru was a saint. A wonderful woman with a kind heart, and heartwarming demeanor.

_Not to mention beautiful._ Akira tried to ignore the blush on his cheeks.  _I hope she'll be okay without me..._ He mentally scoffed at his own thought.  _Nice humility, Akira. Come on, Haru's her own person. She'll be fine._

Haru took a bite of the small sandwich, chewing into it slowly. Her eyes widened as the delectable treat tickled her tongue and electrified her taste buds. "This is delicious!" She bit into it again, practically moaning as the chocolate and gooey marshmallow melted on her tongue. The graham crackers were crushed under her teeth as the sugary sweets clung to her lips.

"I'm glad you liked it." Akira chuckled as he made himself a s'more. He happily returned to talking to the group, apologizing to everyone for scaring them. As he talked, he felt a twisting in the pit of his gut.  _She doesn't need you anymore. None of them do._

* * *

One by one the retired Phantom Thieves fell asleep. Some of them slept inside the car, others slept outside on blankets or in sleeping bags, under the night's sky. The last ones to sleep were Haru and Akira, who still sat together by the dying fire. The young man prodded at the fire with a stick, as Haru's eyes gazed at the starry sky.

"It's... breathtaking."

Akira followed her eyes, but his voice didn't contain the same awe. In fact, he sounded unimpressed. "Light pollution makes it hard to see the stars at night. My hometown is pretty rural, so most nights you can see them pretty easily."

"You saw this every night?" It was amazing. There were so many stars. Haru could barely fathom what she saw. There were still some clouds left, but instead of being white, they were a dark indigo, almost black. The sky looked like a beautiful painting from where Haru sat.

Her eyes widened as she tried to copy the image into her mind. She wanted to remember this forever. She wanted to memorize every single silver dot in the sky. She wanted to remember the dark purple clouds that floated over her head. She wanted to see the sane radiant, round moon in her dreams for weeks to come.

Haru leaned back, losing herself to the sight. She would have fallen on her back, if someone hadn't caught her. She blinked, tearing her eyes from the sky, and turning red as she realized Akira had caught her with a single hand. A familiar heat touched her skin as she swallowed spit down her throat.  _Oh no, not again..._ She quickly sat up, hoping the cool air would help her warm face.

"Most nights," he corrected. "It lost its luster to me a while ago," he admitted. He poked at the fire again, watching as the wind picked up the embers. "It's funny. I reacted pretty similarly to seeing the city at night."

"Really?" Haru was surprised to hear that, but she supposed it made sense. She had been born in Tokyo. The city's glamour was lost to her by the time she was seven, maybe even six.

"It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. It took Sojiro a few weeks to let me walk around outside on my own. When he did, I just walked around Tokyo, taking everything in. It was amazing. Every inch of it was just this beautiful monument of life. People were rushing by me, like-" He paused, searching for the word. Haru could see the joy in his eyes. His silver eyes were aglow with the memories of the metropolis.

"They were like rivers! I had never seen so many people in one place before. It was so easy to just get lost in all of the lights..."

It was funny. Haru had spent her whole life in the city, yet she had never seen what he did. She wasn't upset, though. She smiled, happy to know she could see the world through his eyes whenever she wanted. All she had to do was ask.

That said, part of her wondered if she should apologize. Akira was on his way back to his hometown, far from the lights of Tokyo. She considered it, only to place her hand on his and gently squeeze it. "You'll come back. Not just to us, but to Tokyo. We'll have a party. Walk around together..."

"Heh. It's a promise." And his pinkie slipped around hers.

A dying flame traced their outlines. The moon shined down on them. Stars sparkled above them. It was just them, as a cold wind blew over their bodies.

_"It's cold,"_ she would mutter.

And he'd put his arm around her, and pull her close, against his warm, firm chest.  _"Stay close to me. I'll keep you warm."_

Haru groaned at the fantasy. It was stupid, and ridiculous, and she couldn't even keep her own eyes from rolling.  _It's not happening. Just stop. You need to stop._ _What's wrong with being friends?_ she asked herself.

"Marshmallow?"

"Huh?" Haru watched as Akira took his hands off of hers and pick up the half empty bag of large marshmallows. He plucked one from the bag, holding it out to her. "Oh, thank you!" She took a bite into it, as her mind shooed away her fantasies and dreams. They were childish, and she needed to be a woman now, not some lovestruck little girl. "Akira? Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," and he smiled at her, because of course he did. Akira was the kind of man who could make someone feel like the only thing in the world. Like they were the most important thing to him. Haru reminded herself that that was just who Akira was. He was like a spring morning. Warming. Melting away the frost on her skin. "Have you ever thought about love?"

Akira was quiet, and his eyes widened just a fraction. It was barely noticeable, but it was as clear as day to Haru. "Sometimes. Not as often as most boys my age, I imagine. Too busy saving the world, I guess," he laughed, and Haru imitated him before he asked, "Why do you ask?"

"I've just been thinking about it. Wondering when I'll feel it."

"There's a lot of fish in the sea," he commented. "Anyone you looking at right now?" He smiled, and Haru wanted to scream at him. Was it his ignorance or her cowardice that kept them apart? Or was it just the roll of the die? She wanted nothing more than to hold Akira's hand and tell him,  _'You. I love you, Akira.'_  But she couldn't. So she just smiled and shook her head.

"I don't think so." She pulled her knee onto the log as she stared into the dying, dancing flames. Makoto stared back at her. She was pleading Haru for help. It was as clear as a fire at night. Makoto was helpless against Akira, and Haru was helpless against her friends. "I'm just worried, I-I suppose."

_Tell him how Makoto feels about him. Tell him she loves him! He needs to tell Makoto he loves her!_ she screamed at herself.

"How can I help?" His hand found its way to her shoulder, and she leaned into him. He smelled like saltwater, yet there was something bizarrely sweet about him. Haru wasn't surprised, though. Akira was full of surprises.

"Promise you'll stay in touch?"

_Stop being so selfish!_

He chuckled at the question, nodding his head. "Of course. You're my friend. I'll text you as much as I can."

"Good."

_Tell him. Tell him to be with Makoto! Tell him Makoto likes him! Tell him something!_ Haru cursed at herself, nails digging into her palms as she fumed. She told herself, promised herself that she would do the right thing. She was supposed to be a heroine of justice. That didn't stop just because she wasn't Noir anymore.

_Tell him about Makoto's feelings. Help them be happy._ But what about her own happiness? What if she told Akira the truth? What if she told him how her heart raced at the thought of him, how she had dreamed about kissing him, marrying him, spending forever with him?

_Do something!_ she demanded. But her lips wouldn't move. She couldn't sound out the words. Haru Okumura, she realized, was too much of a coward.

"Haru."

His hand slipped into hers, and she realized only too late that her nails were digging into his skin. She gasped as his fingers gently held hers, and his silver eye inched closer to hers. He was right there, so close to her... and he was scared.

"What's wrong?" He was scared for her.

_He always puts other before him..._ Her fingers held on tight, refusing to let go for just this moment. Haru wanted to pretend that this moment was theirs, that nothing was going to change, but no moment lasts forever. She pulled her hands away and she put on a smile for him.  _I wish I could do the same._ "I'm sorry. I'm just scared of being alone." And it wasn't a total lie.

"Mako-chan and I will be going off to college soon. I have a plan, but I'm not like her." She would never be her. Makoto was perfect, everything Akira ever wanted. Kind, strong, smart, beautiful... "I just doubt I'll be able to keep up with her."

"Life's not a race. Don't compare your life to hers," he gently pleaded. "Haru, I know you. You're spectacular." Haru felt the corners of her lips genuinely rise from the compliment. "You really, really are."

_But I'm no Makoto._ It was simple, unspoken fact. Haru wasn't Makoto, and she never would be. Some part of the young woman wanted to hate her friend, but she couldn't. Haru did this to herself. She refused to be selfish. Haru knew that if she told Makoto how she really felt about Akira, Makoto would have approved. She would have helped her win his heart...

And Makoto would have been miserable.

_No. I have to be strong. I have to do what's right,_ she told herself. Haru looked into Akira's eyes, and she felt her sadness melt away. She fell forward, embracing the young man in a tight hug. Her right hand dug into his black locks as her left landed on his back, pulling him close. He hesitated only for a moment to return the embrace, even though Haru knew he'd rather have Makoto in his arms.

_"I love you,"_ she wanted to whisper it into his ear. But instead, she all she could say was, "Thank you."

"No problem, Haru... If you ever feel this way, call me, okay?"

_Call... That's when I'll tell him about Makoto._ Personal experience had taught Haru that lying to someone was easier when you didn't have to look them in the eye. "Okay."  _I'm so selfish..._

Haru promised herself she'd do better for her friends. She told herself again and again that she'd make things right. She had broken that promise too many times. She had to follow through next time... She promised herself that for the fourth time that year.

**END**

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	4. Akira

Akira Kusuru saw the familiar buildings of his hometown slowly coming closer. He took a deep, solemn breath as the car shook. He continued to stare out the window as they entered the small town. The streets were incredibly barren compared to the bustling streets of Tokyo, with only a few people walking in the town. He hid a grimace behind a smile as his friends took in the rustic town.

"Whoa... Check out all the old houses!" Ryuji commented.

"How positively charming! What a beautiful town!" Haru beamed.

"Yeah. Tanaka is a nice place." He tried not to show the hope in his eyes as he suggested, "If you guys want, we could park somewhere and I can show you around."

"For real? Aw man, that sounds cool!" Ryuji lifted up his thumb in agreement, only for Makoto to shoot down the idea.

"I'm sorry, Akira, but we're already behind schedule as is. We should probably head home after dropping you off." The brunette clearly cringed at her own words. She was dreading it as much as he was.

"I understand. I don't want you guys to be caught in traffic on the way back or anything." He hid his anxiety behind another smile, tapping a finger against his knee nervously.

"We should visit during Golden Week!" Haru offered. "It would be splendid to have you show us around!"

"Yeah," he nodded. "That would be nice." He stared out the window again, avoiding Haru's gaze. He watched as the older, rustic houses were slowly replaced by more modern complexes. He tried to steady his breath, biting his lower lip as the scenery became more and more familiar. "We're almost there." He could feel his stomach twisting into knots as his thumb rubbed against his fingers.

"Are you okay, Akira?" Yusuke inquired, turning his head to the young man.

"Yeah." He answered quickly, and he pulled tighter on his face, forcing the smile to grow. "I'm alright. Just nervous to see my father again. It's been a while."

"Your dad, huh? You never really mentioned him. What's he like?" Ann wondered.

"My father's a friendly guy," Akira answered. "He'll probably love all of you."

"Well, we are pretty easy to love," Ryuji beamed, leaning back in his seat.

"Some easier than others," scoffed Morgana as he sat on Haru's lap. "Have you already told him about me, Akira?" The young man's hand landed on the cat's head, gently scratching at his fur. He purred in quiet contentment, before Morgana's eyes widened and he pawed Akira's hand away. "Stop that!"

"Heh. I already mentioned to him I got a cat. He said he was okay with it."

"Perfect!"

"What about your mother? What does she do?" inquired Makoto as the car came to a stop. She glanced at the red light, before relaxing in her seat. Akira smiled at her, his eyes lingering on the brunette as he looked around the car.

"My mother works at an IT company. A very intelligent, driven woman," he explained. "My parents are divorced, but I usually stay with her every other week. Her home was closer to my old school, so that was always convenient."

"Wait, what? Divorced?" Ryuji repeated.

"You never mentioned your parents were divorced," Ann realized.

"It never really came up." Akira shrugged his shoulders. "Besides, it doesn't matter much to me. They divorced when I was young, so it hasn't really been all that strange to me."

"That's understandable," Yusuke nodded. "I never experienced the typical family setting under Madarame's tutelage."

Akira considered mentioning that most of them lacked a 'standard' family, but he decided against it. The day was depressing enough, he didn't want to make it worse. "Hey. We have each other, and I'd say that's pretty darn good." And he meant it. "We're our own family."

"Joker's right," agreed Morgana. "And no matter what, we'll stick together!"

"Hell yeah!" Ryuji agreed.

"That's right!" Ann smiled.

The others agreed, and Akira enjoyed the moment. This would be the last time they would be together for a while. The moment was somber, but Akira promised it wouldn't be forever. He'd find a way back home, one way or another.

* * *

The rest of the car ride passed quickly for Akira. The others talked, but he kept to himself for the most part. He'd smile, and offer a word of thought every now and again, but he did little beyond that. He could see his father's home in the distance, and he wondered what his friends thought when they saw it.

It was a small, two story house that looked almost exactly like the houses beside it. The walls were a dull, aged white, and the roof was a weathered, dark grey. There were two windows that looked out of the house, and each one was barred to keep robbers from breaking in. A stone wall encircled the house, with a small gate blocking the front door.

"Here we are," Akira muttered. He cleared his throat, looking at his friends. "You guys can just drop me off here. I'll bring my stuff in."

"Dude, where's your dad? Shouldn't he be out here?" Ryuji wondered.

"He probably just lost track of time."

"I want to meet your dad." It was the first time Futaba spoke in a while. Akira stared at her with wide, surprised eyes as she lifted her fists up. She was determined to meet him, it seemed, and try as he might, he couldn't say no to her.

"Alright... Makoto, park right by the sidewalk, please." She obeyed, and the car came to a stop. Akira opened the door, and everyone began to exit out. Makoto opened the back, and Ryuji offered to grab his friend's things as Akira led the others to the front gate.

The raven-haired boy pushed the gate open, knowing his father never bothered to actually lock it, before approaching the front door. The retired Phantom Thief knocked on the brown door, before waiting with his friends. There was no response for the first few seconds, and Ann glanced at Akira in confusion.

"Are you sure he's home?"

"He's home." Akira knocked on the door, harder this time. He waited with the others as Ryuji joined them, luggage in hand.

"Hey, what's the hold up? This stuff's heavy!"

"Hold on." Akira sighed, before he pulled back his hand and slammed it into the door several times. The wooden frame rocked back and forth as the others jumped back. Finally the group heard a response from inside.

"I'm coming!" Footsteps echoed from inside as the door was pulled open, and an older man glared down at the group.

There were several differences between Akira and his father. Akira's features were sharper, with gleaming, silver eyes. His father was a man past his prime, with a round, wrinkled face, and dark, brown eyes. Akira was very fit for his age, strengthened by his life as a Phantom Thief, while his father had a noticeable gut. Akira had a preference for monochromatic colors, while his father wore a bright, green shirt and tan shorts. Finally there was their hair. Akira's hair was a shaggy, black mess. His father's was short and grey, parted cleanly in the middle.

Despite the many difference, there was one trait that the group found familiar. The man's glare vanished, and a wide smile formed on his face.

"Akira!" The man moved forward, embracing his son in a tight hug. "Welcome back, son! Ah, it's so good to have you back!"

"G-good to see you too, dad." The man squeezed his son, before opening his eyes to look at the group of teenagers outside his house.

"And you must be Akira's friends! Welcome! Please, come on in! Sorry I didn't answer the door sooner. I was up all night cleaning for your arrival." The man finally freed his son, holding onto his shoulder with one hand as he used the other to motion everyone inside. "Come in, come in!"

Everyone began to filter inside, with Akira and his father bringing up the rear. The house was simple, almost strangely average. The front door led into the living room, where a large sofa sat against the wall, staring at the TV on the opposite side. The group saw the kitchen in the neighboring room, and a hall way that led to three other doors. The walls were the same dull white as outside, with a matching ceiling above them.

"Does anyone want any water?" the older man asked.

"I'll have some," Ryuji declared, dropping the heavy bags onto the ground.

"Please," Ann agreed, raising her hand. Yusuke copied the motion, lifting up his own hand politely as the man grinned.

"Alright, make yourselves at home. I'll be right back with water for everyone!"

Akira couldn't help but notice the irony of that statement. Despite growing up in the house nothing felt like home. Home was a coffee shop in Tokyo, surrounded by his friends. He quickly brushed the thought aside, and he molded his lips into a smile as he showed his friends around his father's house.

* * *

Haru found the house to be charmingly rustic. It was nothing like the mansion she had grown up in, and that was yet another welcome change Akira introduced into her life. She walked around the outskirts of the living room, a hand on the wall as she imagined Akira running along the very same walls as a child.

 _He must have been adorable growing up… Maybe I can ask to see some baby pictures we go,_ she giggled to herself. She watched as Yusuke and Futaba walked down a hall together, Morgana following after the two.  _I wonder where they're going?_

"His room's right down the hall, last door on the left!" Akira's father yelled to the two as he and Akira stood by the kitchen entrance.

 _Well, that answers that…_ Haru's eyes glanced at her friend's father, and she hummed in quiet thought.  _Akira's father acts a lot like him, but they don't look very similar. Maybe it's just age?_ Yet that answer left her unsatisfied.

She couldn't imagine Akira letting his body turn out like his father's. Not that Akira was shallow, or his father was ugly, but the young man took certain pride in his athletic physique. Ryuji-kun once proudly told Haru about how much running he and Akira did together, and how it helped so often in their adventures.

No, Haru imagined Akira would be keeping his chiseled physique for many years to come.

 _W-wait, c-chiseled?_ Haru wasn't sure how that word had fallen into place, but she tried to hide her reaction to it as best she could. She fought with her own imagination, quickly batting away the thought of Akira's shirtless body.  _A-awful. Terrible. I shouldn't be imagining my friends that way..._

Haru saw Makoto with Ryuji, helping the blond moving Akira's luggage out of everyone's way. The auburn-haired woman sighed as she forced on a smile. She knew she was just wasting time. She should have told Akira to go after Makoto already, instead all she could do was watch as the two soulmates danced around each other. She should have done something, anything would have been better than nothing…

Yet as her gaze returned to Akira and his father, nothing was all she could muster. Then she saw something, and her brow furrowed. It was subtle, almost invisible. It was the smallest twitch, just the smallest of movement that made Akira seem… off.

He was just talking to his father, but it was unmistakable for Haru. She had seen enough photos of herself at her father's parties to know when a smile was being faked. She had practiced the art for months for her own father and his business, and now she was sure Akira was doing the same now.

But why? What was the point of faking a smile here? In his own home, with his father in front of him?  _He must be sad that we're leaving... Yes, that's it,_ she told herself. But the nagging in her mind didn't leave her alone, even after she tore her eyes from Akira's faux grin.

It was too much like hers, she realized. If it was just about everyone leaving, that'd be one thing, but… but he looked so much like Haru did when she was around her father.

But what did Akira have to fear here? His father seemed so nice...

* * *

Futaba was eager to see Akira's room. She already had a picture of it in her mind, since she knew the young man so well (best teammates, after all!). He'd probably have posters from his favorite movies, both the horror stuff that he and Haru liked, and the awesome scifi classics he and Futaba loved. Maybe he'd even have 'Back to the Ninja' posters. If not, Futaba might send some over…

 _Ooh, I wonder what videogames he has?_ Futaba quickly pushed open the door, eyes bouncing from wall to wall. Her smile quickly fell flat as her left brow rose up. "Uh…"

Blank, white walls and a grey carpet floor. A white pillow on a black blanket. A desk in the corner of the room. The only window had bars on the outside of it, and all it showed was the walled off backyard.

"This is Akira's room?" she wondered, too surprised to even be bothered by Inari peeking over her head.

"Very minimalistic."

"It's so boring!" Futaba argued, earning a glare from the blue-haired teen.

"There is nothing boring about proper use of negative space," he firmly argued. He then glanced around the room, and rubbed his knuckle against his lip. "Though the bars on the window do seem a tad heavy-handed."

"This neighborhood used to have a pretty bad crime problem," Akira explained, standing behind the two. They turned to him, and he shrugged his shoulders. "Nowadays, getting rid of them would be more trouble than it's worth, so we just keep them on all the windows."

Futaba frowned at the explanation, but she nodded her head all the same. "Where do your clothes go?" she wondered.

"Under the bed." Akira lifted up his blanket and pulled out a cardboard box from under the mattress. "Save's space that way."

"And your computer?" She looked around the room, finding zero electronics beyond the lights on the ceiling.

"If I need to use one for school, dad just lets me use his."

Futaba felt a little part of her die when she heard him say that. She pushed herself away from the door frame and marched right in front of Akira, eyes widened. "Do you have your own laptop here?"

"No. The only laptop I had was the one back home," he explained. "And all that was good for was shopping on the black market," he chuckled.

"Wait, what?" Yusuke wondered, only for Futaba to lift her hand in his direction.

"Not now, Inari!" Futaba frowned as she began to walk away from Akira. Her steady walk soon turned into a quick dash as she yelled out behind her, "Be right back!"

It might have seemed silly, and maybe it was, but to Futaba Sakura a laptop was more than just an electronic, or a way to play games. It was a way for people to connect, and for the longest time, it was the only tool she had in finding out what happened to her mother, the only link she had to the outside world.

And if Akira didn't have his own, it could mean they wouldn't be able to talk as much. Yeah, they had their phones, but it wasn't the same. And how would they game with each other?! It'd be impossible!

Besides… maybe she finally wanted to give her Key Item a gift. A reward for helping her level up so much...

* * *

Makoto walked into the kitchen, red eyes scanning the room. The house was a nice enough place. She couldn't imagine living there, but maybe she could get used to it? Makoto paused at that thought, her brow winkling as she wondered to herself.  _What does it matter if I could live here or not?_

The brunette rolled her eyes, telling herself she just let her thoughts get away from her. She glanced around the unassuming kitchen, examining the small counter that connected to an oven by the wall. Much like the rest of the house, it seemed to have the bare basics plus a few extras, but nothing more. There wasn't even a dinner table, Makoto realized.

"Odd," she muttered to herself, only for a voice to greet her.

"Ah, hello there!" Akira's father walked out from a small hall, entering the kitchen with a smile directed at Makoto. "Can I help you?"

"I apologize for bothering you, sir. My name's Makoto Niijima," she bowed her head politely. "I was just looking around. Your home is very nice."

Akira's father nodded at the compliment, his smile turning flat as he lifted up both of his hands. He had a glass of water in both of them. "There are some cups in that cupboard there," he explained, pointing behind him. "Could you fill them with some water from the sink for me?"

"Oh, of course," Makoto quickly answered. Akira's father nodded his head in thanks, before walking forward. Makoto stepped aside and watched him walk back into the living room. She stared at the back of his head, a strange feeling prodding at her mind. She shrugged the thought off and began to do as he asked. She quickly assembled a few cups, and began filling them with cold water, only to notice one had a stain at the bottom. "Hm…"

Makoto glared at the stain, quickly grabbing a nearby sponge and soap. She often did the dishes back home, and she'd never allow for such a thing on her own glassware, let alone her best friend's. She quickly cleaned the cup, before looking around for a paper towel to dry it. After a few moments of looking she found just what she needed.

"There. Perfect," she smiled. She opened a nearby trash bin, intending to just throw away the wet paper towel, but that was when she saw something that caught her eye. "Huh?" Her ruby eyes peered into the bin, finding it filled with metal cans. She couldn't see anything else in the large bin, and they all had a similar design on them. "Kirin?" she read.

She thought for a moment, knowing she had seen that brand before. She knew that Kirin was a beverage company with several different products, ranging from soft drinks to wine, but this particular can felt so familiar…

Her eyes widen as the memory came rushing back. Her hands tightened, one crushing the wet paper towel, while the other turned white against the cold glass. She was being held down. The harsh odor of weed and liquor burning her nose. She was being held down, pushed onto the ground by a man she didn't know.

The can was on the table, with several others. Kaneshiro was downing one, wiping his lips with his sleeve as he stared down at Makoto like a lion with fresh meat.

The memory sent a chill up her spine, and Makoto ground her teeth. She had been so helpless against him, and his goons, and then her actions led to her friends' lives being endangered. What if things hadn't worked out as well as they did? What if they had made a mistake? She wouldn't have just ruined her sister's life, she would have ruined Akira's...

"Makoto? Are you okay?" The brunette lifted her head up, and she found Ann staring at her from the doorway.

"Huh? O-oh, yes. I'm fine," she quickly said. She forced a smile onto her face, walking towards Ann.

But the blonde didn't seem to buy the act. She stepped forward, stopping Makoto with a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Are you sure? You look freaked out," she commented.

"I'm alright," she told the younger girl. "Just worried about university," Makoto added, shrugging her shoulders as she stared at the ground. It wasn't a completely lie, which is probably the only reason Ann accepted it as the truth.

"Hey, you're going to do great. You're, like, the smartest girl, I know!"

Makoto's smile relaxed, turning more nuanced as she looked at the blue-eyed teen. "Thank you, Ann. That's very nice of you to say."

Ann just smiled back at her, before moving past to pick up the other cups of water. "I got these. Lead the way, Queen," she insisted, with a wryly smile and a quick wink.

Makoto tried to mimic her friend's smile, but something kept nagging at her mind. Those beer cans… There had been well over a dozen of them. Why?  _Akira's father must have had a party recently..._

She told herself to stop thinking about it, that she was just paranoid, but the nagging was like a pebble at the bottom of her shoe. It wouldn't leave her alone…

Makoto and Ann walked back into the living room, where everyone was assembled together. Akira's father was on the sofa, Ryuji sitting beside him, and Haru on the other side. The others stood around them, with Futaba missing. Akira turned his head to greet the two women, and his smile told Makoto not to worry.

Out of everyone in the group, Makoto trusted Akira the most. There was no reason not to trust him. He was kind, brave, and wise beyond his years. If there was a problem, he would bring it up to her…  _So there's nothing to worry about,_ she told herself.

Ann and Makoto handed everyone a glass of water, before standing by the couch. They joined in the idle talk, before Ryuji spoke up.

"Hey, Mr. Kurusu-" Ryuji was interrupted as Akira's father held up a single hand, as if waving away the air.

"Now, now. There's no need to formalities. Besides, Kurusu isn't my-" He hesitated, and Makoto could see Akira's eyes narrow slightly as he took in a long breath. "Just call me Eiji. Eiji-san, if you really want to sound formal."

"Alright, Eiji." Ryuji grinned at the older man, with an eagerness in his eyes. "So is Akira's mom coming over? It'd be cool to meet her, y'know?"

The atmosphere of the room suddenly chilled, and Makoto could see Eiji-san sit up straight, Makoto was no social expert, but she could tell when someone was nervous. Ann quickly leaned over to Ryuji, whispering something into his ear. Even Akira looked worried, his smile replaced with a subtle frown.

"I heard she runs an IT business or something? That's cool. We actually got our own tech exp-Huh? What?" Ryuji looked at Ann, confused, before his eyes glanced at the clearly frowning Akira. As if realizing this, Akira quickly put on a smile, but it was too late. Even Ryuji was able to read the situation. "Uh… S-sor-"

"It's okay," Eiji replied. "It's fine. Unfortunately Hikaru won't be able to make it tonight. She's busy, and won't be available until next week."

 _She should be here,_ Makoto thought.  _After all, her son just came back after a whole year…_

"It's alright," Akira quickly declared, with a smile on his face. "So, dad, what's for dinner tonight?" he questioned, trying to steer the topic away from his mother, but Eiji-san just shook his head. The man's eyes were on the ground, and his mind was still on Akira's mother.

"Sorry, but I need some help, Akira. I've been so busy cleaning lately that I forgot to do some other errands, and I was wondering if you could help me?"

"Sure. No problem, dad," the young man replied. "But my friends probably need to get going first." He turned his silver eyes away from his father, looking at Makoto instead.

For a moment, the ruby-eyed brunette was worried. Was Akira upset with her? Did he feel an ounce of betrayal? They were already behind schedule, Makoto didn't mean to offend her friend… He smiled at her, and her fears dissipated. Of course Akira wasn't mad at her. He was ever the understanding gentleman.

"I understand," Eiji-san nodded. "You all probably have a long drive ahead of you."

"Nothing we can't handle," Makoto promised.

"I'm going to make a list of things I need help with, why don't you say goodbye, Akira?" The older man rose onto his legs and walked to the kitchen, stepping past Makoto and Ann. The brunette watched him with curious eyes, before turning them back to the group. Ryuji was standing up and approaching Akira.

"Dude, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to piss off your dad!"

"A little quieter, Ryuji," growled Ann.

"Guys, it's okay," Akira swore, hands raised to ease the two. "I told you, I'm okay with the divorce. My dad just… isn't, yet."

"Right… Well, I'm still really sorry, man. I was out of line," Ryuji apologized.

"Apology accepted. Take care, alright, bro?" Akira opened his arms, and after a moment of hesitation, Ryuji opened his and the two men hugged one another, patting each other on the back.

"You too, bro, and make sure you keep running! We'll race each other next time we're together, alright?"

"Count on it."

"Aww. You guys' have such a cute bromance," Ann commented, laughing as the two men parted. Ryuji had a small blush on his cheeks, but Akira just chuckled at the remark. Ann walked forward, arms open wide as she beamed. "My turn."

"Good luck modeling, Ann. Don't let Mika push you around, okay? If she gives you trouble-"

"I know, I know. You have my back." Ann embraced the taller boy, smiling as she rested her head on his shoulders. "Thanks, Akira."

"Anytime. Tell Shiho I said 'hi,' okay?"

"You got it." She pulled away with a smile on her face as Akira turned his gaze to Makoto. The young man smiled at her and Makoto quickly felt another chill shoot up her spine.

 _What's wrong with me? It's just Akira._ Makoto bit her lower lip, and she began to stretch out her arms. Only for Akira's hand to catch hers, and tenderly wrap around it. It took the intelligent woman a moment to realize he was shaking her hand.  _Oh._

"I'll see you soon, Makoto."

"R-right."

"Good luck with university, and thanks for everything."

"Of course…"

His hand released hers, and she put on a smile to hide the disappointment burning in her head. She sighed quietly, disguising it as simply clearing her throat. She watched as Akira walked away from her to shake Yusuke's hand, not understanding what was going wrong in her head…

"Goodbye, Theo," Yusuke smiled, shaking Akira's hand.

"Goodbye, Vincent."

Makoto watched the two men pulled away from one another, and a voice called out to Akira. Futaba stumbled inside the house, tripping on a small step as she ran. The brunette moved forward to help the young woman, but Akira was already there. The raven-haired man was shockingly fast, even outside the Metaverse, Makoto remembered, but still…  _How on earth is he so fast? Perhaps I should pick up exercising with Ryuji as well…?_

Akira caught Futaba before she even touched the ground, holding her in his arms as she blinked. Her head rested against his chest as his arms pulled her close against his chest. He let out a sigh of relief as he slowly pulled away, helping her back onto her feet.

"Careful, Futaba. You okay?" he asked.

"Um… Y-yeah," she nodded her head. Her cheeks were a scarlet tint, earning a small smile on Makoto's face.

 _Poor girl is probably so embarrassed,_ she thought. That's when she noticed she had something in her arms. "Futaba? What's that?"

"Huh? Oh!" Futaba held the gift out to Akira, her cheeks turning a brighter shade of crimson. "T-this is for you. I-it's a gift. P-please accept it!" she screamed, before biting her lower lip. "S-sorry."

It was a silver laptop. It clearly had been worn by time and use, but it was still in a decent condition. "It's not new, and it's an older model, I-I mostly just use it as a spare, or when I'm on the move, but I want you to… I want my Key Item to have it."

Akira placed his hand on the metal surface of the laptop, stroking it with wide, shocked eyes. His jaw hung open for a moment, before it closed and he beamed at the orange-haired girl.

"This should give me a plus ten to my Intelligence. Not to mention the boost to my Wisdom, and Dexterity." Akira took the laptop with one hand as he counted off of his free hand. "Trophy unlocked!" he declared, grinning at her. "Akira's evolving into… Gamer Akira!" He waved his hand in the air dramatically, and Futaba found herself laughing and beaming along with him.

"Uh… What?" Ann wondered, raising her brow.

"Huh. Never knew Akira could speak Futaba," Ryuji commented.

"Thank you, Futaba," the silver-eyed boy smiled, holding the laptop under his arm. "This is beyond amazing of you."

"Oh… Psh!" Futaba kicked at the ground, smile radiating as she stared at the ground. "N-no problem. I'll show you all the best online games to get and we can play every night!"

"Ahem." Makoto crossed her arms, and both turned their heads to look at her. Futaba stared into the older girl's ruby eyes, and she sighed.

"As long as we don't have homework…" Makoto smiled at the young girl, chuckling at her exasperation.

That left only one person to say goodbye to. Akira placed the laptop on the sofa, carefully, before approaching Haru. The auburn-haired girl had been so quiet lately, Makoto wondered if something had been wrong.

Perhaps she was just sad to say goodbye. Makoto knew she was, but Akira would be back among their group in no time. Still, maybe it was the fact that out of everyone there, Haru knew the young man for the shortest amount of time. Perhaps that built a sort of barrier between them…?

"Akira, thank you for-Oh my!"

Akira laughed as his hands wrapped around Haru, and she was suddenly lifted up into a tight embrace. He clung to the young woman, practically squeezing her as her head rested on his shoulder. Haru seemed just as surprised as Makoto, before she wrapped her arms around the young man and returned the embrace. Akira laughed, before saying something that Makoto didn't quite understand.

"Haru, après la pluie, le beau temps."

Akira finally released the girl, and he snickered at the sight of her rosy cheeks. She put a hand to her mouth, clearly surprised by the embrace. Haru struggled to find the words, but the only thing that came out were tiny stutters.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Just happy," he explained, stepping back so he could pick up his new laptop.

Makoto felt a twitch in her fingers, and her brow wrinkled slightly as her eyes bounced between Haru and Akira. She took a deep breath and sighed, trying to change the subject to help hide her own frustration. "Um… Those words you spoke, Akira? They were French, correct?"

The young man nodded his head, but Haru was the one to explain their meaning. "It means, 'after rain, the sun will shine.'" She smiled at Akira, and nodded her head. "I look forward to seeing you again, Akira-kun. Once the rain clears..."

"And I you, Haru." He smiled at her, and Makoto couldn't help but feel like it seemed… different than his other smiles. A radiance to it, that she just couldn't understand.

"Alright!" Morgana shouted, lifting his head up high. "My turn to say goodbye to everyone!"

"Later, Mona," Ryuji said, already walking towards the door.

"Bye," Ann waved, not even glancing at the cat.

"TTYL." Futaba quickly followed the others.

"W-wait, what the hell?! Akira gets a huge sendoff and that's all I get?!" the cat screeched

"We're kidding!" Ann giggled, returning with the two. Futaba and Ryuji grinned at the feline as the blonde woman picked him up and kissed his furry ear. "Take care, Mona. We'll see you soon," she promised.

Akira and the others laughed at the cat's reaction to the kiss, watching his head practically spin on his neck as everyone began to say their farewells to him. Makoto joined in the smiles and laughter, but her owns inadequacies still plagued her mind.

The drive back home was going to be a welcome respite…

* * *

Akira watched as the car drove away. He waved goodbye to his friends, arm raised high to the air. His friends were going, going, gone… He turned his head to Morgana, and he smiled at the cat. "Want to come with me to explore the town? I can show you around." His smile turned teasing as he added, "Maybe pick up some sushi?"

"Sushi?! Heck yeah!" Morgana beamed.

"Cool. Wait here, I'm going to grab the list from my dad." Akira left his friend outside the front door, walking back inside the home where his father sat.

Akira's father, Eiji Kurusu, sat on the couch, a bottle of beer in his hand. He was staring at the TV, watching sports. The TV roared with applause as Akira stood by his father's side. The older man just stared at the screen, holding the bottle tightly in his grip, squeezing it with white fingers.

"And Iori's hit another home run! Iori's done it! He's won the game for-"

"Dad? You okay?"

"Huh?" Eiji lifted up his head, looking at his son with wide eyes, as if he hadn't noticed him walking him. "Oh. Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay, Akira. Sorry. I haven't finished the list yet, I was going to, but-"

"It's okay, dad." Akira held up his hand. He was used to his father's apologies. "Just… take it easy. I'll take care of dinner tonight."

"Alright…" Eiji nodded his head, lifting the bottle to his lip. He quickly brought it down again, and dropped the bottle onto the ground where it bounced and rolled away from his foot. He sighed angrily, hands tightening into fists. "God damn it… Akira, can you get me another bottle?"

"Right, dad." Akira walked into the kitchen of his father's home, his silver eyes, for only a moment, becoming a dull grey.

**END**

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	5. Promise

 

Futaba practically flew out of the car when it parked outside of her house. She only slowed down to wave goodbye to Makoto, and talk to Sojiro in the kitchen. She glanced at the delicious, mouth-watering curry her adopted parent was making, and asked if she could have dinner in her room.

Sojiro smiled at her and gave her his permission, and Futaba gave him a quick 'thank you!' before taking her food and running into her room. She closed the door behind her and sat at her computer, waking it from its slumber. As soon as it was awaken, she sent an e-mail to her best friend and key item.

' _Akira? U there?'_  she didn't get a response for a whole minute, so she quickly fired another letter.  _'Hello?'_ Nothing. Futaba frowned, glaring at the computer screen, before sighing.  _Calm down, Futaba. You're being weird. He's probably busy. Just give him some time._

The young girl took a deep breath, and tried to calm aher racing heart. She took a few bites of her delicious curry, before glancing around her room to try and find something to take her mind off of Akira. Sadly she got the exact opposite result as her eyes drifted to the clothes she brought in with her. She still had Akira's clothes from the beach incident.

Futaba rolled her chair towards the bed where the shirt and shorts laid. If this was one of her animes, the main girl would probably hug the clothes and smell the boy's scent off of them... But she wouldn't, obviously! That'd be weird...

 _Right?_ She wondered. Her cheeks were plagued with a faint, scarlet blush as she scratched at her head.  _I don't know how normal girls think… I-it'd probably be weird._ Futaba picked up Akira's shirt, looking at the white cloth as her blush intensified. She gave a hesitant sniff, and to her embarrassment, there was a unique smell to it. It smelled like seawater, but also there was a hint of something sweeter.  _Akira's cologne? O-or his natural musk?_ She wondered, before groaning.  _Don't be weird, Futaba!_

She glared at the shirt like it was some kind of forbidden fruit. She considered tossing it deep into her closet, before another idea popped into her head.  _I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I wore it again. He practically gave it to me!_ Futaba slowly pulled the shirt over her head, and stuffed her pajama-covered body under it.

Futaba smiled at the sensation, wrapping her arms around herself to press the clothes against her body. She closed her eyes, and the young woman could feel Akira there, holding her, keeping her safe.

" _I promise, Futaba. I'll come back."_ And when he did, Futaba was going to tell him again and again, that he was the greatest teammate a girl could have. That she wanted to be his teammate forever, plus infinity!

Words couldn't describe how she felt for her teammate. He was her hero, her savior, the man who gave her life back to her, and that didn't even get into their friendship. Akira was the nicest, most amazing guy she ever knew.  _He's the perfect guy,_ Futaba thought.  _The perfect… teammate._

Her lips fell, and she frowned as a familiar ache stung her heart. The more she used that word to describe Akira, the worse it felt. It was like describing the sun as 'warm,' or Phoenix Rangers Feathermen R as 'good.' But why? Akira said that's what they were. Teammates! So why didn't Futaba agree with the word…?

 _Oh Teammate, my teammate,_ she thought to herself, arms stroking the fabric of her new shirt.  _What's wrong with me? I feel all hot and stuffy, and my heart's beating like a drum, and…_  Futaba slowly lifted her hand to touch her cheek. It was warm to the touch... Nothing had ever made her feel like this.

Her computer let out a high-pitched beep, and Futaba was pulled from her thoughts. She rolled herself back to her PC. She had a new e-mail, and her heart lit up as she saw the sender's name. Just the man she was thinking of.

' _Hey, Futaba! Sorry I'm late! Had to finish cleaning up. You still there?'_

' _Yeah! I'm right here! U okay? Hows Morgana? Hows your dad? Howre you?_

' _I'm good. Morgana is good too, I got him some sushi for dinner, and my father is fast asleep. He is doing well to.'_ She quickly got another message.  _'Too, not to. Sorry.'_

Futaba couldn't help but laugh when she read the boy's message. He was so polite, even online. It was cute.  _'Want 2 take this to IM?'_

' _That's instant messaging, right? I'd be happy to. Are you okay?'_

' _Totally! Ooh, we shuld do some gaming tonight! Do u have time? We can do some shopping together, c what you'll like! Or we can look thru the library I already had on that computer! maybe you'll like something?'_

' _Sounds fun, Futaba. Let's do it.'_

Futaba was beaming with every reply she and Akira gave to each other. The two began to shop online for games to play together, and Futaba had always believed that you could tell a lot about someone from their taste in games. That's part of why Inari was so lame. He didn't even play videogames! He wasn't nearly as cool as her and Akira.

The older man was a fan of fighting games, but he seemed to really have a thing for violent, gorefests too. The kind of games where people's heads would explode, or you could chainsaw through people and geysers of blood would shoot out. Most never would have guessed from how he acted normally, but she didn't mind. He was letting her see the gamer side of him, a part of him that she felt especially close to. A part of him that only she really got to experience.

 _Probably the second coolest thing about him! Right behind how super cool he is!_ Futaba thought.  _Just another reason to call him teammate._ That thought left a frown on Futaba's lips, her first in the last few minutes.  _Hrm…_

' _Hey, Akira?'_

' _Yeah, Futaba?'_

She bit her lower lip, trying to ponder how she was supposed to ask him. Her mouth opened and closed several times as she continued to start a message, only to delete it.

' _I've been feeling weird about you lately. I don't know wat to call us.'_ She shook her head, and started a new passage.  _'I need a word for you other than teammate. Something stronger, and closer, and better!'_ She groaned, deleting the message.  _'I don't know know what I'm going to do without you.'_ Futaba stared at the words, her finger hovering over the enter key. That sentence was a drop of water compared to what came next.

_'I feel like I want to spend my whole life with you. Not just with the Phantom Thieves, but you. I feel like just being with you makes me happy, and I feel like my heart wants to explode in my chest when we're close. S-sometimes I even think about other stuff. The kind of stuff that boys and girls do when they really like each other…. Stuff that I never wanted to do with anyone else, before I met you…'_

Futaba's jaw hung open as she stared at the wall of text she wrote. Did those words really come out of her? What did they mean?! Even she wasn't sure... She felt her heart racing again. She touched her scalding cheek. She felt strange inside.

She didn't have the words for how she felt. It felt like so many things. A fire that burned whenever she thought of him. A hole in her chest like when her mother died. An urge to just outside, screaming at the top of her lungs. All of this just melted together into a single pit, and she... didn't know what to make out of it.

Her hands squeezed empty air as she slammed her finger down on the backspace button. She erased the entire passage, before quickly throwing some lie out to Akira.  _'It's getting late. I need to get some sleep! Talk to you later, okay?"_

' _Oh, sure! Have a good rest, Futaba. See you.'_  She exited the conversation and quickly put her status as invisible. Once she was sure Akira bought her lie, she curled up into a ball and hugged her legs tightly against her chest.

She closed her eyes and took a moment to wonder what was wrong with her. Was she going crazy again? Did other girls feel this way? Was it just her missing Akira, or...? The young woman groaned, pulling off Akira's shirt and carefully placing it on her chair. She got out of her seat and fell on her bed, burying her face into her pillow as she groaned loudly. Eventually, Futaba finally fell asleep.

* * *

Haru walked down the sidewalk with a spring to her step. She was doing her best to embrace this new chapter in her life. Her best friend might have moved back home, but that didn't mean they weren't friends, and that certainly didn't mean Haru no longer had friends.

She had made a promise to herself that not only would she maintain her relationship with Akira-kun, but also her relationship with the other retired Phantom Thieves. That was why she decided to visit Futaba-chan. Haru and the younger girl were never particularly close to one another. They were friends, but nothing like the bond the orange-haired girl had with Yusuke, or Haru had with Makoto.

Haru was going to change that.

"Good morning, Sojiro-san!" Haru greeted, stepping inside Leblanc. "Is Futaba here?"

The older man smiled at Haru, nodding his head as he motioned with his thumb to Akira's room. "Yeah. She's in Akira's old room. Want me to call her down?"

"Oh, no. That's quite alright! Is it alright if she and I spend the day together? I was thinking she and I could go to Akihabara together?"

"Sure, if she wants." The older man nodded his head. "Just be sure to get back before it gets to dark, alright? School's starting soon, and Futaba needs to fix her sleep schedule."

"Of course. Thank you, Sojiro-san." She bowed her head in gratitude, before calmly walking up the stairs. She opened the door, greeting Futaba with a smile. "Good day, Futaba, I-"

"I wasn't doing anything weird!" Futaba screamed, squeezing something in her hand. She stared at Haru like a deer faced with a speeding car. Her eyes were wide, and Haru could tell she almost seemed terrified of being seen. "O-oh. Hi, Haru," she muttered, quickly facing away from the older girl.

"Futaba-chan, are you okay? You seem scared." The older girl walked forward, and Futaba stepped back.

"I'm okay. Just… uh… came here to return Akira's shirt," she explained, opening up her arms to reveal the white shirt in her hands. She tossed it behind her, letting it fall onto the ground. "There. Returned. Mission complete…"

Haru's eyes narrowed slightly. She glanced at the shirt, then at the nervous twitch of Futaba's foot. The girl was clearly nervous, distraught over something, but Haru wasn't sure what. It would have been easy to write off the entire incident to Futaba's eccentric nature, or her simply missing Akira, but no. Haru felt there was more to it.

She considered simply asking the young genius directly, but Haru doubt that would have worked, and she didn't want to make her friend uncomfortable around her. So instead, she recalled some advice Akira once gave her.

" _Futaba-chan is so cute!"_ Haru had once commented to the young man.  _"She's like the little sister of the group."_

" _Yeah, she's really something,"_ Akira agreed with a smile.  _"Way=it until you get to know her. She's really fun to be around. You just need to show interest in the things she likes."_

Akira and the other Phantom Thieves once spent several days with Futaba, all in an attempt to connect with her. On some levels, each of them were able to bond with the young girl, but that had been before Haru joined them. She never had the same chance to bond with Futaba, like the others did…

That was going to change.

"Is that Akira-kun's game station?" Haru gasped, placing a hand to her lips.

"Huh? Uh… Y-yeah?"

"How positively charming! He used to tell me about this console. Didn't the two of you play on it together?" Haru inquired, walking closer to the TV.

"Yeah," she smiled, a wistful look in her eyes. "We'd spend whole mornings playing it."

"Can you show me?" Haru glanced at Futaba, smiling as she saw a spark in the girl's purple eyes. "I've never played electronic games before, so I'd love it if you showed me a few of the games you two used to play."

Futaba's eyes were gleaming as she gave a wide, toothy grin. "R-really?! Sure!"

* * *

Haru genuinely had no idea what to expect when she asked Futaba to show her videogames. She just wanted the younger girl to open up to her. Now she and Futaba were the only things standing in the way of an undead apocalypse, the last defenders of humanity against a horde of evil. The undead were swarming their humble home, and Haru did her best to shoot at the creatures from the trench outside the house. The wave of undead seemed endless as her fingers stroked the trigger of her rifle.

"Watch out for that fast zombie!" Futaba warned.

"Right!" Haru replied, firing her rifle into the wave of bone and rotting flesh.

"More runners on the left!"

"I've got them! Is your weapon ready yet!?"

"I need a few more seconds to put it together! Look out!"

"RAAHH!" the TV screen roared at them, and both girls jumped as the giant zombie's lumbered forward, towering over his brothers. His head began to twitch, before it burst open. Undead spiders crawled out of his skull as it charged towards them.

"W-what do we do?!" Haru gasped, her fingers smashing on the controller as she fired shot after shot at the beast. His health bar was barely affected her shots, making beads of sweat form on her forehead.

"The zombie virus turned his brain into spiders! We have to destroy all of them to kill him!" Futaba explained. "Okay, I'm ready! Watch out, I'm packing heat!" Futaba's avatar ran pass Haru's, grenade launcher in hand. She aimed and fired, blasting the giant zombie and covering it an inferno.

The giant zombie fell to the ground, and both girls stared at the screen as the words 'YOU WIN' flashed in front of them. Haru's trembling fingers squeezed the controller as Futaba let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew. Man, that level is always the worst. Me and Akira took forever to find out how to beat it." The orange-haired girl brushed her bangs from her eyes as she looked at the older girl. "Great job, Noir! Noir…?" Haru's eyes were locked on the screen, lips sealed tight. "Uh… Noir?"

"That was amazing!" she shouted, finally relaxing in her chair. "My palms are so sweaty, a-and the monsters were so terrifying, a-and the explosions were just…" Haru looked at Futaba, controller in hand. "Can we play again? Or try another game, Futaba-chan?"

Futaba blinked, before grinning at her friend. "Heck, yeah, we can! What do you want to try? Fighting games? More shooters? Ooh, Akira and I got this awesome point and click mystery game!"

"Ooh, that all sounds so lovely!" The two girls laughed, and Haru couldn't remember a time she felt so at ease or happy. Lately she had been constantly dealing with her own fears, her own worries regarding Akira and Makoto. This was a welcomed break. "Perhaps we can try a horror game if you or Akira have one?"

"Sure! You know, Akira told me how much you liked horror stuff, but I still find it hard to believe," Futaba commented. "I mean, you don't seem the type, I guess."

The statement aroused a bit of curiosity from the older woman. "Did Akira mention me often?" she wondered, raising her brow.

"Sometimes. Usually after you two saw a horror movie. He said you're a lot of fun during them." Futaba stood up from her seat and began to search through Akira's library of games. "I wish I could go see them, but Sojiro never lets me. Says they'll scare me too much." Haru could practically hear Futaba's frown. "I'm not some little kid. I fought Shadows! I'm practically a superhero!"

"I'm sure he's just concerned for you," Haru chuckled. "Fathers can sometimes be overprotective." The words slipped out of her lips, and Haru immediately regretted letting the words escape. She saw Futaba freeze, and she didn't need to see her eyes to know that the orange-haired girl was consumed by guilt.

"S-sorry. I probably shouldn't talk about Sojiro. I didn't mean-"

"Futaba, it's okay," Haru promised. "You shouldn't have to feel like you need to censor yourself around me. What happened regarding my father was…" Her eyes fell to the ground, the words dying in her throat. She gave up trying to find the word with an almost silent sigh. Instead she put on a smile, and offered a piece of advice to her friend. "Just because I lost my own father doesn't mean you've lost the right to talk about yours."

"I mean, Sojiro's not my dad," Futaba mumbled. She turned away again and reached into the library to pull out another game. "He's just my… He knew my mom, and-"

Haru rose up from her chair and placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Futaba?" The bespectacled girl turned her head to face Haru, and she saw the smile on the older girl's lips. "It's okay. I promise. Father or not, I know he loves you like his own. I can see it in his eyes."

There was the tiniest trickle of jealousy in Haru's mind. Futaba was lucky to have Sojiro in her life. The man truly loved Futaba. He looked at her in a way that Haru's own father never did.

Haru banished the thought from her mind. The younger girl returned the smile, before suddenly looking away. Her lips pulled apart, and she stuttered a response, but nothing came out. She glared at the wall as Haru's stared in confusion.

"Is something on your mind, Futaba-chan?"

"Haru… You're a girl, right? A-and you've talked to boys before, right?"

Haru was left floored by the question. She blinked, before answering. "I am a girl," she answered, giggling at the odd question. "And I have talked to boys, yes."

"Right. So you know what that's like!" The short girl pulled away, scratching at her head as she continued to burn a hole through the wall with her glare. She bit her lower lip, huffing through her nose.

"Futaba?" The girl turned her violet eyes to Haru. "Is there something wrong?"

The short, bespectacled girl's fingers rubbed against each other as she slowly uttered a question. "Can we talk? Just us… girls? I could really use some advice on… uh… boys."

The auburn-haired woman felt her heart soar at the question. Not only was she bonding with Futaba, but now the young girl was actually asking her for advice on the opposite gender?!  _Yes! Oh, it's just like I have a younger sister!_

"Of course you can ask me for advice! How can I help, Futaba-chan?" Haru took Futaba's hands in her own, and she pulled her to Akira's bed. The younger girl was blushing as they sat there, but Haru was positively glowing with happiness.

"W-well, there's this guy," Futaba muttered.

Haru nodded her head."Of course. Is it someone I know?"

The blush on Futaba's cheeks should have been more than enough of an answer, but the girl still nodded her head. "Y-yeah. He's… someone you know."

"Is he…?" The words didn't even need to be uttered by Haru. Futaba had already nodded her head again, avoiding Haru's radiant eyes. "One of the Phantom Thieves…?"

"Y-yeah. I mean, yes." Futaba's face was practically radiating red. "Things have felt… weird in me, lately. Like everytime he and I are together, things just aren't enough. I want more. I don't want to be just 'teammates.' I want…" She bit her lower lip, glancing away from Haru's auburn eyes. "I don't know what I want…"

"I see." Haru patiently waited for the girl to continue, but inside the young woman was bouncing with glee.  _Futaba was falling in love! How absolutely precious,_ Haru thought.  _Her first crush!_ When Futaba said nothing, the hazel-eyed woman asked her a question. "You like this boy? As in, you love him?"

The question lit a match under Futaba's cheeks. She waved her arms wildly in the air, shaking her head. "P-pause! Options! Start! I-I never said l-love!"

Haru was confused by the first few words, but she brushed them off. She smiled at her younger friend, speaking gently, but directly. It was like when she had to confront Takakura-san. She knew she could help Futaba. Haru just had to speak from her heart. "You said you wanted to be more than just teammates. Do you just want to be friends? Best friends?"

Futaba's lips fell into a frown as she shook her head, slowly.

"Does your heart pound he's around you? Does it become hard to breathe when he looks at you? Do you feel like someone lit your insides on fire when he talks to you?" Haru knew the feeling. She would feel short of breath, and hot around Akira. She remembered the feeling of her heart beating in her chest like a piston, growing faster and faster...

The bespectacled woman didn't answer for a moment. When she finally did, she stuttered out an answer, her violet eyes staring at the floor. "E-even if I did like him that way, i-it'd never work out."

"And why is that? You're a beautiful young woman. Any boy would be lucky to have you." And Haru meant every word, but they just seemed to bounce against Futaba's skull.

"I'm not, though. I'm not like you, Haru!" She raised her voice, surprising Haru. She stared at the other girl as she held her hands up, fingers squeezed into fists. "I'm not like Ann, or Makoto! I'm not like any girl!" Futaba groaned. "I'm weird. And flat. And noodley." Futaba pulled her legs onto the bed, squeezing them against her chest as she buried her face between her knees. "He's too cool for me. Too good..."

 _The poor dear,_ Haru thought, as she placed a hand on Futaba's shoulder. She squeezed slightly as she spoke firmly. "Futaba Sakura-Isshiki. I want you to listen to me." The bespectacled girl lifted up her head, eyes wide at the use of her mother's last name. "You are intelligent, driven, and absolutely gorgeous. You saved the world, and you've saved my life countless time. You're a Phantom Thief. You are so much more than you think you are."

Haru's hands gently touched Futaba's cheeks, and she pulled the younger girl closer. Her entire face seemed to glow red as Haru leaned closer, their noses touching as Haru's eyes stared into Futaba's. There was an aura of command around the older girl so powerful that Futaba couldn't look away. All she could do was stare with open lips at the beautiful Noir.

"I mean it when I say that anyone would be lucky to have you in their life."

"Y-you really mean that? W-what if he just sees me as some little kid?"

"Then help him see the woman you are." Haru released the girl's face and lifted up a fist. Just like Akira helped her become assertive, Haru would help Futaba! She would be like the girl's older sibling, a pillar to help her stand tall! "Be confident, be brave, you can even be flirty!"

"M-me?! Flirt?!" Futaba gawked at the very suggestion, but Haru was undeterred.

"You can do it, Futaba!" She glanced at the game console, and she tried to remember the basics of gaming that Futaba had taught her. "You just need to level up your stats!"

"Level up?" The words granted Futaba an epiphany, and she blinked as they sank in. "So I just need practice?"

"Exactly! And I'll be happy to help you every step of the way!"

"R-really? Y-you're so beautiful, though!" Futaba gasped. The compliment made Haru smile, even blush slightly. "I-if I have your help then… Alright!" The orange-haired girl, no, the woman jumped off of the bed. She landed with a slight stumble, before beaming. "I'm going to make a new promise list! Haru, will you be my player two?!"

"Of course!" Haru grinned.

"Alright! Time to start a new game!" Futaba announced. "Give me some time to make a promise list, and then you and I are going to work through it!"

"Right!" Haru blinked, and her grin fell for a moment. "What is a promise list?"

"It's a list my mom and I used to make! It'd be full of things I needed to do or finish! I'd get a reward if I completed them all, and this time, my reward is going to be a hunky piece of man meat!" she shouted, pointing at finger to the roof.

Haru had never felt so honored. She didn't even seem phased by Futaba's odd statement. The girl was asking Haru to join in a tradition she shared with her mother.

It truly felt like Futaba was letting Haru into her family, and that revelation filled Haru with warmth. Even if she couldn't be Akira's girlfriend, maybe she could be one of his closest friends? Maybe even a sister? He saw Futaba as a sister, and if the young girl saw Haru as another sibling then wouldn't that all make them family?

Haru brushed all those thoughts away. It didn't matter. None of that did. What mattered was that she was helping her friend grow. Just knowing that Futaba wanted Haru's help, knowing that she meant something to the younger girl, lit her up inside.

"Alright. Then we'll start tomorrow."

"T-tomorrow?" All of Futaba's bravery seemed to vanish, and she glanced away as her hand fell to her side. "T-that's really soon."

"You've got this." Haru stood up from the bed and placed a hand on Futaba's shoulder, the other tightening into a fist. "We've got this!" She raised her fist into the air, smiling.

Her smile was practically infectious as Futaba found herself smiling in return. "Right…" She nodded her head. "Right! We've got this!

* * *

The two spent the rest of the day together, happily spending the remainder of the day in doors playing videogames. Futaba showed Haru many of the games in Akira's library, and Haru absorbed the new experience like a sponge to water.

Haru completely forgot about her plans to take Futaba to Akihabara. Just spending the day together like they were best friends, maybe even siblings, was enough for her.

Eventually night came, and Haru left Cafe Leblanc, promising to see Futaba tomorrow so they could work on the promise list.

The auburn-haired woman walked down the empty street with a peaceful expression on her lips. She felt happy. She felt content. Even strong! Maybe even strong enough to finally talk to Makoto about Akira... She would just need to decide on when. Perhaps she would call later tomorrow?

 _It's like I'm everyone's matchmaker,_ she laughed. She was proud to play the role though. She wanted her friends to be happy, and what greater happiness was there than being in love?

Haru would happily play the role of a support beam, helping the other rise to true happiness. Perhaps one day, she would join them…

Speaking of love, though Futaba didn't give a name, Haru had an inkling on the identity of her crush. It made so much sense, just by looking at the two. It was the classical kind of love. Two people who seemingly couldn't stand one another, but they actually adored one another. Their fighting was a reflection of the sexual tension between them, a classic trope in soap operas and romantic novels.

_It's so cute! The couple that argues and fights like a married couple. The two fires that clash, their love burning hotter the louder they scream! Futaba and Yusuke are going to be such a cute couple! Oh, I hope I can help!_

Haru might not have been the heroine of her own romantic novel, but that was fine for her. She would happily play the role of support for her friends.

**END**

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Until next time, folks. Stay strong, know that you are loved, and stay safe! Bye!


	6. Soldier

 

_I want to go home._

Akira scowled as the thought popped into his mind. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. It wasn't the first time he had that thought. At first he tried to ignore it, but that plan had clearly failed. He knew what the thought meant, of course.

He might have grown up in this house, in this town, but now none of it felt right. The place felt wrong. The sky was too open, the walls too far apart, and Tanaka felt so damn empty compared to his real home.

He wanted to go back to Tokyo. He wanted to be with his friends again.

It was childish, he told himself. He was just being whiny. Akira had tried his best to stomp down on these thoughts, but they always came back. It was frustrating, but he didn't know what else he could do. He was stuck here.

Akira finished washing his hands, before returning to the meal he was preparing. It was Sojiro's curry, something he had become adept at making. The sound of the food simmered over the oven brought a proud grin on his face, before a voice spoke to him.

"Dinner almost ready?"

His father stood behind him, and Akira put on a smile for his father's benefit. He turned to face the older man. "Yeah. Should be done soon."

Eij sat behind his son at the dinner table, staring at the young man as Morgana quietly roamed along the walls of the kitchen. "Are you okay, son? You seem nervous?"

Akira hesitated, his hands freezing for only the briefest moment. The question sounded strange on his father's voice, but he just pulled the corners of his lips higher.

"Of course."

"You've seemed out of it lately. What's been on your mind?"

Akira ignored his father for a moment. He carefully pushed some of the curry onto a plate, and served his father the dish. "I'm fine. Just thinking. School's going to start soon."

"That's right." Eiji nodded. "Are you excited to see your friend again? What was his name…? Haruto?"

"Haruto and I haven't talked since primary school. His family moved," Akira didn't even glance at his father. He had long gotten used to correcting the older man. "I'm sure I'll make plenty of friends when the semester starts."

"Friends like Futaba? The little girl who gave you that laptop?"

Akira nodded his head, his grin falling into something more genuine. He remembered the short, young woman, painting her face in his mind. "Yeah..."

He saw her long, beautiful hair. He saw violet eyes. He saw her excited grin. He saw her skin melt from her bone as she died in front of him.

Akira stopped, slamming a hand on his mouth as bile burned his throat. He remembered Futaba screaming as her hands turned to smoke, and then nothing at all.

" _No! No!"_  Denial. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't comprehend it, none of them could. She died because of him. Because Akira dragged her out of her home, and demanded her to be like him, to be different.

" _Where did we go wro-?"_  Makoto died mid-sentence, tears falling from her face. She was sobbing, wracked with guilt, because she was the Phantom Thieves strategist. Shouldn't she have had an answer? Shouldn't she have been the one asked that question? But she was still so young.

She didn't deserve to have lives depend on her, but they did. Akira dropped that responsibility in her hands, and filled her with false hope. He killed her.

Haru didn't get a chance to speak. She couldn't speak. All she could do was watch her friends die, before the noose was tightened around her neck. Akira remembered Haru looking at him, blaming him for shattering the safe walls of her prison.

She turned her head away, shuddering as tears evaporated from her eyes. She closed her eyes as she died, a soft crackle of fire being all that remained of her. Not even a body to bury.

"I'm sorry." Morgana spoke up, staring at Akira. It was just like before. He was covered in a black smoke, burning away and leaving nothing behind. The cat stared with broken eyes as he whispered. "You failed, Akira."

"And they died because of you." Eiji's voice cut through the air. Akira turned his eyes to stare at his father, who looked at his son with the same smoke. His entire arm was already gone. "It's time you stopped lying to yourself."

The roof of the house shattered in an instant. Broken wood and stone fell down on Akira's head as a god stared down at him.

"The destruction of Mementos meant nothing to me. You shattered your fingers to spite me, and now you have no weapons to destroy me."

Akira's eyes widened, and reached for a knife on the kitchen counter, only to watch as his fingers phased through the handle.

"What are you now, Akira Kurusu? A Trickster without a trick? This world no longer has use for you."

The silver-eyed man felt something hard press against his head. He turned his head, staring down the barrel of a gun as the crimson-eyed Akechi smirked at him. Akira could only open his mouth to scream as the bullet went through his skull.

* * *

Akira opened his eyes, gasping for air as his senses overloaded. He was scared. He was surrounded. He reached for his gun, only to find nothing there. He was defenseless as the Shadows consumed him.

Except there were no Shadows.

He could hear the whistling sound of Morgana's breathing, feel the springs in his bed shift, smell liquor in the air. Akira's eyes darted around the dark room expecting to see someone standing over him. But all he found was himself alone with the slumbering cat on his bed.

The silver-eyed man took slow, panting breaths as he shook his head side to side. He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth for a moment. He glanced at his clock, and he found he had only been asleep for a few hours. The sun was going to rise soon.

_Damn it._

Akira considered going back to sleep, but memories of his nightmare convinced him not to. He rose up from his bed, careful not to awaken the small cat, and he grabbed his jacket. He needed some air.

* * *

The young man had nightmares before. He wasn't sure any of the Phantom Thieves could go through what they had without at least one nightmare. But the adventure was over. The world was safe. Yet there was a sense of unease that clung to his skin like glue. He'd peel it off, only to find more buried deep into his flesh.

Akira let out a heavy sigh, lifting his head to stare down the dark street. There weren't many people out this early. Some stores were just starting to open as the sun began to slowly rise.

_That nightmare…_

The memories were clear. The sight of his father fading into oblivion. Akechi and Yaldabaoth staring down at him. Futaba, Haru, and Makoto's deaths. It was so vivid in his mind, and the more he tried to forget it, the clearer it because.

Despite his anxiety, a question formed. He had seen all of his friends die that day. He saw Morgana die in front of him, in the nightmare, because the cat now lived with him. Why did those three girls stand out in his memories?

Akira sighed, feeling guilty for a moment. All of his friends had died in front of him, yet those three stood out.  _Why?_ He wondered. It shouldn't have been hard to understand why. Part of him knew the answer.

He was close to each of them. Makoto and he were practically the parents of the group, Haru and Akira were two halves of the same whole, and Futaba saw him as the one who saved her life. The young girl wasn't even aware of how much life she gave back to him…

They stood out because, fair or not, he felt closest to them out of everyone in the Phantom Thieves. They were his closest friends; his better halves. He… cared about them deeply.

Akira felt a warmth on his cheeks. Thinking about the three women reminded him of how beautiful and amazing each of them were. He let out a bitter laugh as he shook his head side to side.  _You sound like a creep,_ he told himself.

Out of the corner of Akira's eye, he watched a woman walk out of a nearby store, and begin to follow him. His eyes widened as he realized she was glaring at him.

She watched him with burning red eyes, and he quickly stepped to the other side of the sidewalk. He stood his ground, glaring at the woman as his fingers tightened into fists.

She walked right by him, pulling her daughter along. She arched her brow as she stared at Akira, before shrugging and turning her gaze away from him.

 _What was that?!_ Akira thought to himself, staring at the woman's back. The woman turned to her daughter and said something to her, but all Akira could hear was the drumming of his heart. He relaxed his hands, and tried to calm down.

He hadn't even realized what he did at first. He just saw that woman, and suddenly he had his fists up. It was like breathing. He didn't even think about it. It just… happened.

 _Must be the nightmare,_ he realized.  _Must have left me anxious._ He took another deep breath of the cold, morning air, and exhaled. He rubbed his brow as he started walking again, this time keeping his distance from anyone on the sidewalk.

Akira walked through the town with heavy feet. He remembered growing up on these very streets. This place was meant to be his home, yet he felt a writhing in his gut with every step. He couldn't understand it, but it was only getting worse.

A thought popped into his head, and he came to a stop.  _This place doesn't feel like home_.

Home was Tokyo. Home was Leblanc. Home was a garden on the roof of Shujin Academy.

Akira sighed, shaking his head as he thought about his real home. He could still remember the garden he and Haru created together. Hours spent tending to tomatoes and radishes. It was simple and relaxing. He would have done anything to return to those days.

 _I wonder how Haru's been doing,_ he wondered. Akira remembered the last moment he had with the girl, and the embrace he had given her. He could still feel her soft body in his arms. Her auburn hair against his cheek. Her heavenly voice in his ear.

They had barely talked since she left for Tokyo. He should call her sometime.

Her smiling face was painted in his mind. Akira could see her chocolate-tinted eyes, her moonlit skin, and her glossy lips. She leaned forward, pressing her pillowy lips against hi-

Akira's cheeks burned red as he realized where his mind went. He pushed his train of thought off the rails and shook his head.  _Where did that come from?!_ He wondered.

He wasn't naive, contrary to popular belief. Akira knew that he was surrounded by gorgeous, attractive woman. Both his age and above. He knew Ann was a model, but what was Haru's excuse?

Haru was insanely gorgeous. Or maybe it was simpler to call her hot. Her laugh was enough to make his heart race, and her smile made his knees weak. That wasn't even touching on how beautiful she was.

Or how sexy she was when they were on a battlefield.

He rubbed his face, trying to cool his warm cheeks.  _Alright, calm down, Akira. God, she's just a girl._ Yet a voice in his head scoffed at that comment.  _Haru's no girl. She's a woman. There's nothing wrong with seeing her as an attractive woman._

 _Damn hormones,_ Akira thought with a frown. He turned around and started walking back the way he came.  _That's enough fresh air for me…._

He felt better, he supposed. Better to think the same hormonal, perverted thoughts of every other male his age than to think about his friends dying. He would have preferred neither, but that didn't seem like an option for him.

The walk back was as quiet as the start, but then something caught his ear. He heard a loud crash in front of him, and without even thinking about it, he ran forward to find out what it was. He found his answer in an alley. A woman laid by a knocked over trash can, surrounded by four muscular men.

The woman was shaking, squeezing her purse as she stared at the four thugs. They surrounded her, and Akira felt a familiar fire being lit in the pit of his stomach.

"P-please." The woman wasn't much older than Akira. Probably just out of high school. She laid on the ground, shaking as her black hair stuck to her sweaty brow. "D-don't hurt me! Just take it!"

"That's a good girl." The biggest of the four reminded Akira far too much of Kamoshida. Big, burly, with a bush of black hair on his head. He reached down for her purse as Akira growled.

"Leave her alone!"

He could hear his mother telling him to stay out of people's business. He could hear her tell him to walk away. So instead he walked forward, tightening his hands into fists.

"Leave," he ordered the woman on the ground. She didn't move.

"Looks like someone wants to play hero." This thug was a head shorter than the Kamoshida-look alike. He was fat, and pudgy, with brown hair that had practically been drowned in hair gel.

"Get out of here, kid," another man demanded, taking the cigarette out of his mouth. He dropped it on the ground and crushed it under his boot. "Else you're gonna die." He was older than the others. Dark splotches up and down his arms. Hair turning grey at the roots.

Akira held up his hands. He knew how this was probably going to end, but that didn't mean he couldn't try and find a better solution to the scene. "Look. You don't want to do this. Just walk away, okay? I won't tell anyone I saw if you just walk away now."

His silver eyes went from one man to the other, slowly sizing them up. The last of the four was clearly the youngest. Smaller, with a face that showed his true nature. He was scared, almost hiding behind the other three for safety.

"I don't want to fight you, and you don't want to fight me, so just walk away." Akira wasn't sure if he was asking, begging, or demanding. Maybe all three.

"Look at this motherfucker. Kid, this ain't gonna be a fight. It's gonna be a massacre," the tallest of the four laughed, walking towards Akira.

_Guess he's the leader..._

"Last chance," the silver-eyed youth warned. He glanced at the trembling woman again as Akira began to slowly retreat. He kept stepping back until he hit the same wall the woman was leaning against. "We don't need to fight."

None of the four listened, and Akira put on a mask. His mother told him how much easier being bullied was if you didn't fight back. If you kept your head down and looked meek. He put her advice to use, lulling the giant into a false sense of security. Akira saw the sadistic grin on the leader's face. The idiot fell for the trap.

"Miss, please leave." Akira ordered, glancing at the woman. She tried to get up on shaky legs, but the other thugs shouted at her to sit back down.

"You need to learn to keep your nose out of other people's business," the leader snarled.

_Not now. Not ever._

"Nowhere to run now, kid." The man rolled his neck, before throwing a right hook. He swung it like how a child would swing a sledgehammer. Slow and wide.

Akira held up his arms and guarded his head, letting the swing bounce off of his right forearm. It stung, but he imagined it was a bigger shock for the large man. He just witnessed a highschooler block his punch like it was nothing. He stared at Akira, blinking, scowling as he hesitated for just a single moment.

The older man could have taken that moment to step back, or even throw another punch. He could have done something, but all he did was gawk at the teen. Honestly, Akira almost felt bad for the man. He clearly didn't know how to fight.

* * *

Akira remembered when he was in Tokyo, working with Munehisa Iwai in his store, Untouchable. It was a particularly slow, summer afternoon. The two men sat at the counter, taking apart replica guns, and cleaning them, before putting the replicas back together.

The silver-eyed youth glanced at his employer, before dropping the bomb on him. "Iwai-san, what should I do if I'm in a fight?" Swift and without warning, yet Iwai didn't even glance at Akira.

"Leave."

"What if I have to be in one?"

"Kid, what the hell are you doing in fights?" Iwai growled.

Akira wasn't sure what was going through the older man's head. Was Iwai angry at the idea of Akira starting a fight? Scared that Akira would be forced into one? Or confusion at the nicest kid Iwai had ever met being in a fight in the first place?

"There are bullies at my school." And it wasn't a total lie. "I can't let them get away with hurting people."

"Kid, what other people do isn't any of your business. Let the adults take care of that stuff."

Akira hated how often he'd heard that piece of advice. How was he supposed to just let bad people get away with hurting others? He'd heard the advice before, but this time he spoke his mind. He put the gun and rag down onto the counter, and in a rare moment of anger, he raised his voice.

"They're not doing anything, though! They're just standing around letting this happen! Someone has to do something!"

Iwai, to his credit, didn't seem to care what Akira thought. "Keep your damn voice down." He glared at Akira, and the boy returned the gesture. "So what? You think you're the law? You think you can bully other bullies? Get them to stop?"

"I'm not just going to stand around when other people are getting hurt. I'm going to do something about it."

"Kid, everyone thinks they're going to change the world. The sooner you lose that way of thinking, the better." Akira's eyes widened for a moment, clearly taken back by his words. "No one's going to change anything. It's not how the world works."

"Then clearly the world needs to change." Akira shook his head and he walked towards the front door.

"Your shift isn't over."

"Then fire me."

Akira pulled the door open, and Iwai grumbled under his breath. He held up a hand, and raised his voice slightly. "Alright, alright. Quit your whining. Sit your ass down and let's talk." The younger man hesitated, before closing the door. "Why the hell do you want to learn how to fight?"

"I told you. There are bad people in the world, and I won't stand for it."

"That kind of belief is gonna get you killed, you stupid brat," Iwai scoffed.

"Not knowing how to fight could get me killed a lot sooner."

That was the first time Akira had ever truly angered Iwai. Not just annoyed him, but genuinely pissed the man off. He stood up, the stool he had been sitting on falling to the ground. He glared at Akira, hands on the counter. "You've got a lot of nerve. The hell is wrong with you?! Didn't your parents teach you some damn respect?"

Akira didn't reply. He just glared at Iwai. The young man had always tried to see the best in the world. He tried being kind. But he was tired of people like Kamoshida getting away with their crimes. He stared Iwai down, unflinching in his beliefs.

"Fine," Iwai sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He pulled the white stick out of his mouth and dropped it in the bin beside him. "Fine. One piece of advise, and then you sit your ass down."

"Five."

"Kid." The older man ground his teeth together, glaring daggers at his worker. Akira couldn't help but smile at the man's scowling face.

"Three pieces of advice, and you can make me clean the guns twice over."

"You're cleaning everything three times over for this conversation alone." Akira wasn't sure why, but he chuckled at that. "Fine. Three pieces of advice. Now sit your ass down and do your work."

Akira obeyed with a nod, walking back to his seat and returning to work. He grinned at the iota of pride in Iwai's eyes. Whether it was because of Akira's gutsy nature, or how efficiently he was taking apart the rifle, the young man didn't know.

"Alright, first piece of advice: Figure out who you're fighting. Simple if you're fighting one guy, but I know how stupid you can be. If you ever get yourself into a fight with more than one person, you need to figure out who the leader is. Typically they're the biggest person, with the smallest brain."

"What does it say if I'm ever leading a group to fight?" Akira grinned.

"Exactly what I said." Akira chuckled again. "Now, find the leader, and throw the first punch. Deck him with the fastest, hardest punch you can deliver, and make sure you don't miss."

* * *

Akira slammed his fist into the thug's cheek. The man's cheek rippled, and Akira could feel not-Kamoshida's teeth graze against his knuckles. It stung, but it hurt the bigger man a lot worse. The giant stumbled to the side, before a swift kick to his stomach brought him to the ground.

The other three thugs stared in silence. They clearly hadn't expected the raven-haired boy to knock down someone almost twice his size. Akira hoped they would have taken that moment to leave.

They didn't.

The youngest tended to their fallen leader as the other two charged at Akira. The silver-eyed man lifted up his his fists, and let his legs carry him from one wall to the other.

* * *

"Second piece of advice. Keep your back against a wall. Even if you're facing off against one guy, you don't want to find one of his buddies just snuck up behind you to grab you from behind. Cause once someone gets the drop on you, fight's over."

* * *

Akira's fist shot like a bullet, hitting the oldest of the four thugs in the stomach, before grabbing his head and slamming it into Akira's knee. The young man could hear the familiar 'crunch' of a nose being broken. The old man cried out in pain, but Akira just turned him around and held him up like a shield.

The stout, fat man growled, trying to punch Akira, but the young man just held his shield up. He could feel a fist slam into the man's stomach.

"You piece of shit!" The fat thug roared in anger, flailing wildly in an attempt to attack Akira, only to hit his compatriot again. Eventually the man just grabbed his own ally and ripped him out of Akira's hands. He shoved the other man to the ground as Akira stepped back..

The pudgy thug ran at Akira. He was fast, but Akira was much faster. The young man just dodged each wild swing, before he found his chance. One swift chop to the vagnus nerve in the side of the man's neck, and the large man fell. He would be disorientated for the next few minutes.

The fat man hit the ground, leaning against the wall as he struggled to catch his breath. Akira felt a bit of pride at seeing his opponent so beaten, before he suffered a painful reminder of where he was, and what he no longer had.

In Mementos or a Palace, he had a Persona to help keep his body stable. Arsene could keep Akira's breathing at an even rate, even after the young man ran a mile. Akira could flip, jump and punch for over ten minutes, and the young man wouldn't even be winded.

But this was reality, and he was reminded of that as he found himself trying to steady his breathing. He shook off his own fatigue and raised his fists.

In the movies, a bad guy would go down with one good hit. In reality, this wasn't always true. The Kamoshida-looking guy was getting up, and the old thug was following after him.

 _Three against one, and the fat man probably isn't even down for good…_ Akira didn't want to admit it, but there was something cathartic about the fight. Like the adrenaline was putting out a fire in his gut.

Akira brushed the thought aside, and held his ground as the old man swung at him. Dodge. Dodge. Dodge. It was easy. Akira swung, and the man hit the ground again as a familiar pain stung Akira's hand. He glanced down and he saw his knuckles were tinted a dark shade of purple.

That was the thing about punching someone, Akira remembered. Contrary to popular belief, knuckles weren't meant to hit someone in the face. They bruised quickly, even quicker when you didn't have a Persona to heal you.

Akira ground his teeth as his hands stung, but he shook it off. He held up his hands again, his heart beating against his ribs, as he looked up to see Kamoshida running at him. Not a man that looked like Kamoshida, but Kamoshida, crown and all.

Akira froze up, shocked by the familiar face, and he paid dearly for it.

Kamoshida's fist hit Akira's stomach, and it felt like a brick hitting him square in the gut. The young man stumbled back, only to be tackled and crushed against the wall by Kaneshiro. Akira cursed through clenched teeth as he slid down to the ground. He lifted his head up, only to meet a heavy boot slamming into his face.

"Not so tough, are you?" Kamoshida mocked.

"Come on, tough guy! Get up!" Kaneshiro lifted his foot up again to kick Akira.

The oldest of the group wiped the blood from his lip. Madarame stared down at Akira with golden eyes as the young man felt his heart beating even faster. It was pounding inside of him, breaking his ribs as ink fell from Madarame's eyes and mouth.

Akira was being beaten into the ground. All he could do was cover his head as voices screamed at him. As voices screamed for him. Haru's skin was turned into a black smoke as she evaporated before his eyes. Futaba was begging for it to stop as her body vanished. Makoto screamed for an answer.

Where did it all go wrong?

 _Get up,_ he ordered himself as Kaneshiro's foot slammed into his elbow.  _Get up!_ He looked at the woman, seeing just the corner of her face as Kamoshida kicked his stomach. Her red eyes begged him to get up.

* * *

"Third piece of advice?" Iwai put the replica down, staring at it with something Akira had never thought he'd see in the man's eyes.

Disgust.

"There are no rules in a fight. When you want to win, when you need to win, you do whatever it takes. You put down as much pressure as you need until you, or your opponent, can't get up."

"You sound like you're talking from experience?" Of course he was. It was why Akira asked Iwai in the first place. He needed what the man could teach him. "I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories." He really was, but Iwai didn't seem to care much for the apology.

"I've seen people lose it to a fight. I don't mean they got beat up. I mean they lost themselves in it. Wanting a fight, looking for a fight, that's one thing… I've seen guys that need a fight, and that's the shit that scares me."

* * *

Akira waited for his chance, and as soon as it came, he grabbed Kamoshida's leg and pulled up his pants. He closed his eyes and bit down, digging his teeth into the soft flesh. He tasted iron for a moment, before Kamoshida screamed, pulling his leg back and nearly falling onto the ground.

Biting someone is typically not something Akira liked doing. It carried a lot of bacterial risks for both parties, it was almost disgustingly brutal, and it was gross, for lack of a better word. Akira decided that he didn't care about any of this. He refused to lose.

It did have one special benefit. It worked as an excellent psychological attack. Biting someone was something primordial. Something savage. It shocked Kaneshiro and Madarame, giving Akira the chance to slam his foot into Kaneshiro's groin. The man hit the ground hard and fast.

Akira held onto his momentum and he rose up, slamming a fist into Madarame's throat. He had to be careful. Too much pressure could be lethal. He delivered just enough to bring the old man down, gasping for air as he stumbled back.

Someone grabbed Akira's arm, and he turned his eyes to glare at them. Akechi glared back, and Akira felt his blood boil. He saw Haru's father. Futaba's mother. He saw hundreds of corpses staring at him with empty eyes.

He grabbed Akechi's collar and threw him to the ground. He hit the stone floor with ease, and Akira pulled back his fist. His silver eyes almost glowed as he began to wail on Akechi, throwing punch after punch.

The ex-Phantom Thief felt his knuckles digging into flesh and skin. He felt teeth cut them as he cracked his fists against Akechi's jaw. He felt a nose break under the pressure of his fist. He felt Akechi try and hold back Akira's arms, but the raven-haired man was too strong.

Akira didn't stop until a voice screamed out from below him. It wasn't Akechi's voice. "Stowp! Stowp! Pleass!"

The man under Akira's fists wasn't Akechi. He was barely a man. He was Akira's age, and he looked terrified. He stared at Akira, begging him to stop. His mouth was bloody, gums cut, cheeks bruised, eyes bloodshot… The young boy was sobbing, and Akira felt his heart racing inside his chest.

Akira fell to the ground, staring at Not-Akechi with blurry eyes. Not-Kamoshida ran to the young man, and he embraced him tightly. Not-Kamoshida glared at Akira, and it was a special kind of hate. Not the kind of hate you have for being insulted. The kind of hate you feel for someone who just attacked your family.

Neither of the thugs said anything as they stood up and limped away as fast as they could. Akira tried to turn his head, but it was like his neck was locked into place. He didn't hear anyone else. Not even the woman he tried to save. He lifted his hands up to his face, and he saw how badly bruised his knuckles were. They were bleeding as they trembled.

He was all alone, but Akira's heart didn't stop pounding. It just kept screaming at him as his breathing quickened. That's what he realized something was wrong.

Akira's eyes widened. This was a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He could feel his blood gushing through his body, hear every wet splash, before he felt like blood was flowing down his windpipe. He tried to touch his throat to make sure he was still breathing, but his damned hands wouldn't move!

His vision blurred as tears formed and blinded him. The lost of sight just made his heart thud faster and faster inside of his chest. It was like he'd just ran a hundred miles. He couldn't catch his breath, not with blood clogging every breath. The pain was hot. He let out a gasping choke, barely able to get any air to his lungs as his tears fell to the ground.

Then came the acidic burn of vomit rising up his throat. Akira wanted to scream, but he didn't have the air to. All he could do was lay on his knees and sob as he gasped for air, and bile scorched the inside of his throat. All his hands could do was tighten, digging nails into his palms as he kept trying to scream.

He couldn't take it anymore. Akira threw up on the ground, retching as he felt stomach acid burn his teeth and rip the color out of his cheeks. He gasped for air again, the lingering taste of acid burning his lips.

There was nothing he could do but sit there and wait for this pain to end. Bile bubbled up his throat again, but he struggled to keep it down. He focused on his breathing, trying to remember was the pattern was like, before he tried to match his memory.

It didn't come out as breathing. It came out like retching and choking and gasping. It felt like he was dying, and for one single moment, he felt it again. Just like in Tokyo, just like against Yaldabaoth, he was dying. But that death was like losing all of his senses. Becoming nothing. This was like he was experiencing everything. Every drop of bile running down his teeth, every loud beat of his racing heart…

Akira was scared to admit it, but he actually felt like he was going to die.

But then his heart began to slow. He finally took in a breath of fresh air without choking on it. The pain didn't go away, but it became something he could sit with. He slowly pried his fingers free, trembling as the sensory overload he just went through turned back to normal.

Akira kept taking long,cleansing breaths. He stared into the small puddle of vomit he made, before forcing his body up on shaking legs. He needed to get home. He needed to overcome whatever just happened to him.

 _Just tired. I was just tired. Just need to go home. Just need to get home,_ he told himself.

Akira forced himself up on weak, shaking legs and began to stumble his way back home. He ignored his steady, but booming heart. He focused on keeping one foot in front of the other.

* * *

Akira dragged himself back home. He tried to ignore the blistering pain in his side, or his muscles spasms as his body tried to recover from the brutal battle.

He and his friends had done it. They defeated Kamoshida's Shadow, and stole his treasure. Now all they could do was wait. That might prove to be the most difficult challenge of all, though. Just the anticipation as they waited to see if their battle proved pointless or not.

With a quiet sigh, Akira walked into Leblanc. As expected, his caretaker was still there. There weren't any customers. Just Sojiro staring at the TV, listening about another horrible accident.

"Where the hell have you been?" Sojiro turned his head to glare at Akira, and the young man tried to hide another sigh.

"Long afternoon. I…" He avoided Sojiro's eyes. He had spent the train ride trying to think of an excuse, and now he was stumbling over himself. "I volunteered to help clean up after class."

"Should have called me and made sure it was okay," the old man grumbled. "Next time you stay out that late without telling me, I might just report you!" Sojiro shook his head angrily, clearly upset with Akira.

All Akira did was take a deep breath. He was used to this by now. Different person, same message. "I understand. I'm sorry," he muttered, before he tried to walk past him. But Sojiro didn't seem ready to let the conversation end.

"Wait." He held up his hand and Akira clenched his jaw.

 _Here it comes._ What was it going to be? Was he going to ask Akira to pick up some beer for him? Or maybe he just wanted to tell the young boy how stupid he was. Either way, Akira readied himself for whatever crap was about to be flung at him.

"What happened to your side? Looks like you hurt yourself."

Akira's hand fell from his chest and he sucked in air through his teeth. He hadn't been expecting that. "I fell," he lied. "There was some water on the ground, and I slipped."

"Hm. Idiots," the bearded man grumbled. "How hard is it to clean up after yourselves? Or leave a damn note?" Akira glanced at the man. Sojiro was glaring at the wall behind Akira, before he sighed. "How long has it been hurting?"

"An hour or two…"

"Alright. I'll get you something for the pain. If it still hurts tomorrow, you should go see the clinic around the corner. Make sure it's nothing serious."

Akira's mouth opened, but he wasn't sure what to say. Was this some kind of trap? He kept waiting for Sojiro to demand something, or leave some passive-aggressive comment. But all the man did was reach into a cupboard and take out a small, white bottle. He placed it on the counter, followed by a glass of water.

"Here. Take two. Take another two before you go to bed." Akira nodded his head. "There's some curry on the stove. Might be a bit cold, but should still be good. Can you serve it yourself?" He nodded again. "Good. You know where my house is, right?" He nodded one last time, before Sojiro reached for his coat. "Good."

Without another word, Sojiro walked away from Akira and out the door. The young man could hear his guardian turning the sign around, and then walking away. The dark-haired young boy gawked at the water and medicine, his mouth hanging open as a single thought popped into his head.

_Was he waiting for me?_

* * *

Akira returned home with a plastic bag in his hand. He closed the door behind him and he dropped the facade of strength he'd been wearing. His shoulders fell, his head hung off of his neck, and his feet dragged.

He felt like crap.  _Those guys got some good hits in,_ he thought. Akira tried to just shrug the pain off as he walked towards the kitchen. He put the plastic bag down on the table and pulled out the painkillers when a voice greeted him.

"Akira? Is that you?" His father walked over to him, a large bag of potato chips in his hand. He swallowed his food down and smiled at his son. "Perfect timing. I just wanted to tell you that I'm headed off to work."

Akira glanced at his father's clothes. They weren't his uniform, but he gave the older man the benefit of the doubt. It was easier not to argue with him. "Alright."

If his father saw the bruises on Akira's cheek, or how he favored his left side more than his right, Eiji didn't say anything. He just grinned as he saw the painkillers in his son's hand. "Ah, perfect." He pulled it out of his son's fingers and twisted the cap open, peeling away the plastic cover. "I needed this." He poured four pills onto his hand and tossed them into his mouth like candy, swallowing them down. "Alright. You can take care of dinner, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Oh, and your cat's been meowing all day. Make sure to get him some food."

"Right."

"Good. I'll see you later, son." Eiji placed the chips and painkillers down, before wiping his hands on his shirt. Akira watched his father walk away, and he heard the front door open, before slamming shut.

"Thought he'd never leave. All he does is eat and watch TV," a voice grumbled. Akira looked down at his feet, finding a familiar black cat staring up at him.

A real grin formed on Akira's face as he chuckled. It was nice to finally see a friendly face. A little piece of home. "Yeah. He does that," Akira muttered. "How has your morning been?"

"Terrible! I've been looking all over for you! Where the heck have you been?" Morgana frowned at Akira, his tail snapping into a straight line. "I just woke up and you were gone! I was worried about you!"

"Sorry. Couldn't sleep so I went for a-"

"And what happened to your face?!" Morgana hopped onto the counter and glared at Akira's bruises.

"I got in a fight," he confessed. "I saw some guys trying to rob a woman, and I stepped in."

Morgana took the news with wide, blue eyes. He looked Akira up and down, scanning his body. "Well, you look kind of okay… I'm guessing the other guys look a lot worse."

Akira nodded his head.

"Typical Joker…" Akira wasn't sure what he was expecting, but a grin was definitely not it. "Suppose I should be kind of proud! I'm such a good teacher that you act like a Phantom Thief even after retiring!"

"Heh. Yeah. I guess I did," the silver-eyed man laughed.

"I bet you kicked their butt! That's the Joker I know!" Morgana beamed.

"I had a good teacher, I guess."

"Yeah, you did." Morgana's good mood didn't last long though. He frowned as he stared at the bruises on Akira's face. "But you should be careful too. Bring me next time. The Phantom Thieves are at their best when they're together."

Akira wasn't sure how helpful Morgana would have been in the fight, but he decided not to comment. "Right."

"And next time wake me if you can't sleep, okay? I was really worried…" Morgana avoided Akira's silver gaze, staring off into the distance. "I kept trying to go find you, but the bars on the windows make it impossible for me to get out... Not to mention your dad wouldn't let me out the front door."

The young man nodded his head as he got out a glass and filled it with water. He took two pills and popped them into his mouth. He drank it down with his water as Morgana faced him.

"You should get some rest. You've had a long morning."

"Nothing a shower can't solve." Akira shrugged his shoulders as he put his water down. "You mind?" The cat shook his head, watching as the young man walked out of the kitchen.

* * *

Morgana wasn't an idiot, nor was he ignorant to his own faults. Well, he wasn't any longer.

He knew that he could be self-centered and selfish at the best of times. He knew he had a hard time understanding how his actions hurt others. He knew he wasn't perfect.

He wasn't like Akira. The young man was many of the things Morgana wanted to be. He was kind, brave, and took to the life of a Phantom Thief like a fish to water.

Yet despite all of those traits, Morgana found himself worried for his friend.  _Is it this place?_ Morgana stared at the bars outside the window. Was this place making Akira sad? Morgana felt homesick. He missed Tokyo, and Lady Ann, and even that monkey, Ryuji, but Akira was feeling something else.

Morgana sighed, trying to ignore his own worries.  _If Akira needs help, he'll ask. All I can do is be here for him and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid._

The cat promised himself that he would protect Joker. He swore that he would be the kind of friend the young man deserved. The world was a stupid, and cruel place. It stomped on people like Akira, but the young man always seemed able to take the hits.

_Maybe it's starting to be too much for him..._

* * *

Akira stared at himself in the mirror. He bit the inside of his cheek as he slowly pulled the jacket off of his body, and dropped it onto the floor. He peeled his shirt off of his sweaty skin, before dropping that too. He looked at his reflection, sighing.

There were bruises all along his arms. The beating his face took was a small fraction of his injuries. Dark, purple splotches crawled up his arms. His knuckles were still cut and blistered from the fight. His stomach had several painful marks from the fight.

And that… thing he had… He wasn't sure what to call it, but it was one of the worst pains he'd ever experience. Like what he imagined a heart attack felt like.

Akira shook his head and clenched his jaw.  _Probably nothing,_ he told himself. He kept repeating that to himself, again and again until he believed it.

**END**

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**Next Update: June 8th, 2018.**


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